A Twist in Time
by Lucreace
Summary: When an experiment with a time turner sends Hermione back in time, she must work out a way to get herself back, before she finds herself caught up in a marriage she neither wants nor needs. Eventual SS/HG
1. Chapter 1

It had been a while since she had used a Time Turner. The one in her hand was different to the one she had used before too. Well, physically it was still the same. It still had the tiny hourglass in the centre, it still had the moving parts you twisted to activate it and it still had all the magical elements to it. This one, instead of being made of gold, was made of silver and had small crystals embedded into the edges. It was far more decorative than the other one had been which made Hermione wonder at the usefulness of it. The one Dumbledore had given her had also been legal, this one was decidedly not.

She'd been sent to recover it on the order of Fletcher, who was rounding up all non-registered artefacts as quickly as he could. She had read the missive herself and couldn't argue with the logic of the man. He was convinced that these remaining trinkets could fall into the wrong hands – those that remained at least – and needed to be accounted for. It was something she had been training for and she was only too happy to assist. The particular trinket in her palm now had been in the possession of an ancient witch who was only too glad to be rid of it, especially if it was going to cause her trouble.

Instead of going back to the office however, she had returned home. It was the last call of her day and she wanted nothing more than to make a hot cup of tea and relax with the latest volume of Witch Weekly – a rather guilty pleasure but one she looked forward to none the less. Yet, now that she was sat on her couch with her brew in her lap, she had the chance to really look at the object she had collected. It was more than a touch garish and didn't even look as though it would work. Even as she turned it over, one of the small crystals popped out of the socket and slipped onto the floor. Cursing, Hermione tried to see where it had fallen but there was no sign of it on the carpet.

She placed her mug of tea on the coffee table, next to her magazine and got down on her hands and knees. Not the most dignified of positions she knew but there was nothing that could be done about that. It didn't help; there was no sign of the little gem. Giving it up as a bad job, she returned to the couch and examination of the device. Some of the silver gilt was flaking away too, revealing a cheaper base metal underneath. Could they have cut any more corners when they made this thing? Hermione was beginning to suspect that it didn't even work.

Draining her mug of tea, she placed her cup back down and thought about it. Would it do any harm? To try and test the thing? It would save an awful lot of time testing it in the office tomorrow and then she would be able to apply for something a bit more exciting than fetching broken trinkets from feeble old witches. She could remember how the one Dumbledore had given her worked, this one was sure to work the same. The mechanisms were the same, just the base metal and the fact that it was falling to pieces. A small voice in the back of her mind tried to tell her that this was perhaps one of the silliest things she had tried as yet and that her job might well be on the line should she fail. Dismissing the warnings as folly, knew she was doing the right thing. Besides, the thing was broken.

Rising, she took the device with her to the bedroom and set it in the same manner as the one she had before. Five minutes of staring at the back of her head and she'd be back in the living room with her magazine in no time at all! Focusing completely on the twists she needed to make, she ensured that she got it right.

At first, the jarring sensation of passing backwards was as she remembered it; a little like the first tugs of a headache and the odd feeling that she was falling. It should have lasted mere seconds. It didn't. The feeling continued for far too long, the ache in her head intensified until she was forced to screw her eyes shut. The small voice that had told her this was a bad idea now began berating her with 'I told you so' and 'you should have known better.' Colour burst into her vision and a high pitch whining rammed through her ears. Clenching her jaw shut, she willed the screaming to cease, the noise to vanish and the lights to fade. Just as she thought it was too much, everything stopped. Hermione waited for her breathing to return to normal before she let herself open her eyes. What she saw was like nothing she had seen before, at least in the real world.

Instead of sitting on the bed in her ground floor flat, she was sat underneath a huge stone structure. The archway reached high above her and a first floor was in place. It appeared to be some sort of guild hall building but with the bottom floor missing. People walked underneath, coming and going about their business as if this was completely natural. Behind this was a large stone church that looked as though it had been there since the beginning of time. In front of her was a huge square, where yet more people were swarming about their business. Horses pulled carts taking goods here and there, stalls lined the outer edge of the square. The myriad of different scents hit her all at once: animal dung, sweat, roasting meat, vegetables and fruit that had been squashed on the ground combined to create a rather heady cocktail. The noise was almost unbearable, although better than the screaming that had accompanied her apparent journey back in time.

When she looked down at what she was wearing, she almost choked. A red taffeta gown flowed around her legs while a tight bodice cinched her waist. She found she could breathe well enough, which was something but other than that, she was completely out of sorts. She looked around the square once more, utterly bewildered. In her hands was a small drawstring bag. When she pulled it open, she found her wand, a few coins, he offending time turner and a compact was contained within.

"Miss Granger?" Someone spoke her name and she looked around, straight into the face of Molly Weasley. A relieved smile spread over her face and she let out a small sigh, "Are you well?"

"I am," she nodded. Slowly, she got to her feet and straightened her dress.

"Are you sure, you look terribly pale," the older woman said. She extended her hand to Hermione, who took it willingly and led her down the stairs.

"I think the closeness of all these people made me feel a bit odd," she replied. "I had to sit otherwise I would have fallen," she added.

"But on the steps? You should have said dear, we'd have called a carriage and got you home." Molly said. There was no real scold in her voice however and she began steering Hermione back into the throng of people. "You still look a bit pale, was there anything else you wanted from the market?" she asked. Hermione shook her head and Molly smiled. She remained silent as she was led through the crowds of oddly dressed people. The men were all in formal suits, immaculately dressed and upright in their walking. The ladies were the same. Everyone looked stunning in an old world kind of way. Old World… Perhaps the time turner hadn't been broken after all. Perhaps it had worked too well. That wasn't something she was going to worry about right now however.

Once inside the carriage, she was greeted by Ginny and Lavender. Their chatter stopped when they noticed how pale she was, "Hermione, whatever is the matter?" Lavender asked. Her pale eyebrows raised gently and her hand touched hers as soon as she was settled.

"I think it's the crowds," she replied as she settled down. She went to push the few stray strands of hair from her forehead but thought against it. Her hair was elaborately put up in some form of ornamental bun and if she touched it, it would all collapse and become a state. Ginny laughed a little and Lavender settled back against the soft couch.

"The colour is already returning to her cheeks, look!" Ginny said. The two girls lapsed back into their conversation giving Hermione time to think about what had happened. She looked out the window, watching the cobbled streets. The carriage passed through the town and down a wide street, also cobbled. The houses on either side were large, with a set of stairs going up and down from the street. She knew one entrance was from servants, the lower, and one was for the owners. There were fewer people here, each of them were richly dressed however and walking with the same upright posture.

The carriage pulled up at one of the houses and the door opened by a smartly dressed valet. A set of steps were placed in front of the door and a hand held out for the ladies to use. Hermione accepted it willingly and hopped lightly onto the ground. The others followed and she fell in beside Molly. The older woman led them up a flight of stairs to the largest house on the street. Hermione couldn't help wonder where such a fortune had come to pay for it. She dismissed the thought as unfair and focused on what she was seeing. She tried to make sure she wasn't gawking, clearly, whoever was here before her would know what the house looked like.

The interior was as cleanly decorated as the exterior. Pale colours lit the rooms into which she was led and instantly relaxed. Lavender appeared beside her in a moment and tea followed, "Are you sure you're alright?" she asked gently.

"I'm sure," she nodded.

"That's good, it would be a real shame if you missed Ginny's debut tonight," she said with a smile. "You know who is going to be there and he'd be very disappointed if you weren't," she added. An awful thought occurred to Hermione and she glanced down at her hand. Sure enough, on her left hand, the third finger to be exact; was a large shining white stone on a golden band. She did her best to smile at that but inside; it felt as though she had swallowed a lump of ice. Imagine being engaged to a complete stranger – worse, it could be someone she knew!

After sipping her tea, she coughed and rose from her chair, "I think I'm going to lie down for a while," she said. Lavender nodded politely before picking up a book. Seeing this as a good time to leave, Hermione fled. She darted up the stairs and managed to find a room that was hers – it had her name on the door! Once inside, she shut the door and pulled open her purse. The time tuner fell into her palm, in no less than three separate pieces. She starred at them and groaned a little. It seemed that her little trip into the past was going to be an extended one. What she was unable to get her head around was the fact that her friends were there. How could that be? Shaking her head, she looked over at the large bed that was hers and flopped onto it. She had a lot to think about, not least of which was who she was engaged to!


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione did not stay on her bed for long. A proper look around the room told her a little more about her situation, well, she hoped it did anyway. There were no family portraits on the walls, letting her know that they were either dead or absent. A door to her left led to a small bathroom, which was hers alone to use, which told her that the wealth of the family must have been considerable. Opening the wardrobe revealed a large collection of dresses not too dissimilar to the one she was wearing now. A quick glance in the overly large mirror reminded her that she was indeed, still the same person. Dismissing the thought, she turned and spotted that there was a large writing desk, which she went to sit at. Looking through the papers it contained, she was able to learn a few things that would come in handy that evening, and in getting accustomed to her new location and time period.

The first letter that was half written was addressed to Luna Lovegood, congratulating her on her engagement to Neville Longbottom. That made Hermione snort somewhat, the thought of them actually being together was rather cute. She knew the dotty blonde would give the stammering boy a good run and keep him from getting into too much trouble. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.

It was then that she noticed the congratulatory letters on her desk that were addressed to her. In fact, the one she picked up was from Luna! As she read it through, the colour began to drain from her face and her hands started trembling. No! There had to be some sort of mistake. There was no way that she would have ever agreed to a match such as this. Yet, there it was, written on the parchment for her to see. Krum. She as going to marry Vicktor? Sure, he was a friend and they had spent rather a lot of time chatting together… or had they? It was more than a little confusing now that he had gone back in time.

That caught her attention, moreso than being engaged to her friend. If she had gone back in time, how on earth was everyone else there as well? It was definitely her friends she had sat with in the carriage and it was definitely Molly who had helped her back, so how were they here as well? Unless the time turner wasn't a time turner at all and had taken her to some sort of different world; she took it from her bag again and looked at the pieces. Had this happened because that gem had fallen from it before she tried to use it? She didn't think so. When she looked over it again, she realised that she had no way of finding out in her current situation, not until she knew a whole lot more about it at any rate. For the moment, she was stuck and there was not a lot she could do about it. She did know one thing however; she was not going to be marrying Vicktor Krum, not if she had anything to say about it.

A knock at her door turned her head, "Come in," she called as evenly as she could. The door opened a fraction and in crept Ginny. The pale girl had a stunning green dress on and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"What do you think?" she asked.

For a moment, Hermione was unable to speak. Her friend looked far more beautiful than she ever had but she was far from envious. She felt nothing but cheer for her friend, knowing that it would help find her a decent match over the next few weeks and months, "Oh Gin," she gasped, "It's perfect."

"Do you think he'll like it?" she asked. She brought a hand up to her lips and dropped her gaze to the floor.

"Who couldn't like you in this?" Hermione replied. She rose from her stool and walked around her friend, wanting to see the dress from all angles.

"I don't want just anyone to like me though," she said, "I want Harry to like me."

Hermione covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a laugh, "Oh Ginny, he'll love it!" she said, knowing that it was true even as she said it. That made the younger girl smile and she flushed, her cheeks turning a lovely red and Hermione couldn't help smile back. She also noticed that she was wearing a lovely set of sparkling earrings that matched the gleam in her eye, a gleam that appeared when she spoke about Harry.

"But what are you wearing?" Ginny asked, "Not that day dress surely?"

Hermione shook her head slowly and stepped over to the wardrobe. "I wasn't sure," she said under her breath. Was she supposed to get changed for these things? She opened the doors and the first thing that caught her eye was a powder blue dress. The soft shine of the fabric stood out against the others and she pulled it out, "This perhaps?" she said. Ginny gave an enthusiastic nod.

"Perfect." Ginny moved a little closer towards her before speaking again, "Do you want some help with it?"

She nodded and let the younger woman unfasten the dress. When she felt the fabric loosen, she stepped from it. She found that she was wearing the most intricate sort of underwear she had ever seen. It was as though she had stepped right out of a classic novel, right down to the white bloomers and elaborate stays. They didn't seem overly tight however and so she allowed Ginny to pull on the blue dress.

It didn't take long for them both to be ready for the evening. Ginny even managed to fix her hair so that it fell in soft waves rather than tatty curls. When they descended the stairs, Molly and Lavender were waiting for them. Molly began to fuss over her pretty young daughter the moment she laid eyes on her, leaving Hermione to speak with Lavender for the moment; who agreed that she looked amazing. It took Molly a good few minutes to get over her daughter's loveliness, leaving Hermione wondering if there was any more that went on in the witch's head. In fact, all they had spoken about since she had arrived was being married to wizards and making good matches. If this was all there was to her new world, she would be looking for a way out very quickly.

The journey to the house holding the ball was a short one. Hermione was convinced that they could have walked it but didn't dare suggest the idea, not yet anyway. Instead, she spent the next few minutes watching the pretty streets go by. The large quantities of pink blossoms told her that it was spring time, for which she was glad. Winter would have been far more depressing!

When they arrived, their carriage was opened for them and they were once more helped out of it, as if they were unable to do so themselves. Hermione found that she was quickly going to become irritated by this world if it wasn't careful. Still, she accepted the help like a good lady should and waited for the others. Approaching the door, she realised that they had to be announced before they could walk in. This was done swiftly, which was a relief, she was beginning to get hungry! Hermione noted that she was introduced as Ms Granger and gave a nod when she stepped forwards.

Thankfully, all eyes were on Ginny as she was announced for the first time. The hall fell silent as the pretty girl stepped forwards. An audible intake of breath was heard and a smattering of applause, as was the custom, sounded around the hall. After that, the hubbub began once more. Hermione was practically dragged to one of the tables at the side of the room and forced into a seat. Lavender popped down next to her, Molly stayed with Ginny as she was approached by several young wizards, including her brothers. Where they had been earlier, Hermione had no idea.

"I suppose you're going to be chaperoning me now," Lavender said with a slight huff.

"Merlin, that does sound boring," Hermione said with a fake yawn. The look on Lavender's face said more than words could and she laughed.

"Really? Whatever happened to finding a good man and leaving it there," she said. Hermione gave a little shrug. It didn't sound like something she would say but then again, she was new here. He scanned the room and tried to see if there was anyone she knew here, other than Ron and his plague of brothers. Harry was also standing with her, his eyes practically on stalks at the sight of her. It was all rather comical when she thought about it.

Her eyes spotted a few people she knew, mostly older wizards chatting amongst themselves. Remus was drinking something that looked a lot like brandy while chatting to a very dapper looking Sirius Black. Dumbledore was there, deep in conversation with Minerva about something, as well as Flitwick and Sybil. There seemed to be plenty of younger people around as well, Neville and Luna were talking quietly about something, though kept a very respectable distance between them. Dean was chatting away to a young woman whom she did not recognise. In fact, there were several people she didn't know, or thought she didn't know.

One of them was a tall gentleman who had his back to them. He appeared to be deep in conversation with a slender young woman who she thought she had seen before. Was it one of the De La Cours? She couldn't be sure about it, anyway, she wasn't interested in her, it was him. The shape of his shoulders sloped in a most pleasing manner and a shock of black hair was pulled in at the nape of his neck, revealing white skin underneath. He appeared very upright and proper in his mannerisms and kept a very respectable distance between them. She thought about asking Lavender who this fellow was but then stopped herself from speaking; she should know who it was and asking would make her look a little bit silly.

"I'm not so sure about that anymore," she said when she realised she had not given her companion a response. Lavender's eyes followed hers and she rolled them.

"You need to stop staring at him now," Lavender said, "Especially now you're engaged!" she added. Hermione tore her eyes away from the stranger's back and onto the table again. She let out a small sigh and shook her head.

"I don't even know why I did that," she whispered. Lavender's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"The contract had been accepted, there's no backing out of it," she said. Hermione didn't know too much about that idea. If there was a way out of it, she would find it. Perhaps she could say she wasn't herself when she agreed to it. Shaking her head, she pushed the idea to the back of her head and looked over at the man once more.

"Why did I not pursue him?" she said before she even realised she had spoken out loud.

Lavender had the audacity to giggle at that before shaking her head, "Oh Hermione, you as much as everyone else know that Severus Snape is already engaged to Ms De La Cour, you've been nothing but respectful about it, despite the puppy eyes when he isn't watching. Why the sudden change?"

Hermione felt as though she had been slapped in the face. Twice. Once to find out that she had a rather large crush on Severus Snape. She felt that unmistakeable rush on her cheeks and the urge to giggle well enough to understand what it was. To find out that he was engaged to another was also a bit of a blow. Never mind, she pushed the thought to the back of her mind and resolved to dwell on it later – there was so much she didn't know yet.

"I'll try," she said, making a grand theatrical gesture. It wasn't very much like herself but it did sound like something someone would do in one of the classics she had enjoyed reading. Lavender rolled her eyes but laughed all the same. "Perhaps we should find something to eat," she suggested. Her companion nodded enthusiastically at the idea and they both left the table.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone, thanks to those of you who have already reviewed this little tale. I'm finding this is a lot lighter in nature than Breakages, which is a welcome change. Although I love the nature of that story, there is only so much dystopia one can take before feeling utterly miserable! I am interested in seeing where this little trip will take me and I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.**

 **Thanks**

 **Lu**

Hermione had never thought that she would willingly hand around with Lavender Brown. Back at Hogwarts, she had found the girl insufferable, especially after the whole affair with Ron. It had driven a wedge between them and as such, they'd not had all that much to say to each other. That had all changed now she had stepped back in time. Lavender proved to be a rather adventurous girl who shared in her growing irritance at the propriety of the society in which she now found herself. The two of them decided that sitting demurely at the edge of the ball while everyone else had fun was not going to do them any favours. Besides, Hermione was hungry and that always sent her good cheer spiralling away.

Once the food had been found and they'd managed to snag a couple of bites to eat, she was able to think more clearly. There were so many things that she needed to know if she was going to be survive in this world. How long she had been engaged, where Viktor was at the moment, how she was going to get out of it and how she was going to insert herself in the direction of the man she actually wanted were just a few of them. She was also curious to know where everyone else was. If these few of her friends and acquaintances were here, the rest would be somewhere no doubt.

"Come on Hermione," Lavender said as she took her hand, "We should go and see if Remus will get us some of that punch!" she smirked. There was a look of complete defiance in her eyes and something in the back of Hermione's mind twitched.

"We're not meant to drink the punch, are we…" she said, letting the question trail off so it sounded as though she was unsure, rather than clueless.

"That's not stopped us before," she said. The blonde girl gave her another one of her grins and Hermione followed her slowly to where Remus was standing. He was as tall as she could remember him but he had rid himself of the ridiculous moustache. He was also a lot tidier than she recalled. His suit, brown as it was, did not bear the mark of having seen better days. His shoes were neatly polished and his hair had been combed. He wasn't unkempt either. The smile he gave them both was almost dashing and the skin around his eyes crinkled when they approached.

"What can I do for you pair?" he asked amicably enough. His eyes hardened a little when he spotted Lavender's demeanour however and he shook his head, "No punch, not after last time," he said. Her companion pouted a little at that but Hermione felt relieved. She was sure Molly would have some awful things to say to them if they did steal the punch. Hermione glanced over at the woman who appeared to be her guardian. She was fussing over her youngest daughter for the time being, ensuring that she spoke to all the young men at the gathering, rather than focusing her efforts on Harry alone.

"How is everything?" she found herself asking Remus, "It seems like an age since I saw you last."

"Since this morning?" he said, "Not a lot has changed," he shrugged, indulging her with a smile. Hermione raised both her eyebrows when she realised he had not answered the question and he chuckled again, "I am fine."

"Good," she replied with a little smile of her own.

"How's your project coming?" he asked. Damn. Hermione had no idea what he was on about. She took a moment to think about it, came up blank and just gave a brief nod.

"Not too bad, I'm making a little bit of progress but it'll take more research yet," she lied. It seemed to satisfy Remus well enough, as he have her a sage nod.

"When you're ready, just let me know and I'll help where I can," he said.

"I'll appreciate that." She hoped that was the right thing to say. Again, it appeared to satisfy him as he nodded again. Her palms had begun to get a little sticky and she rubbed them on the fabric of her dress. It did little to cool them and she found herself getting rather hot.

"Have you made any wedding plans yet?" Remus asked, changing the subject. She shook her head slowly.

"No," she replied.

"Hermione doesn't want to rush into anything yet," Lavender said coming to her rescue. She gave the girl a warm smile, glad for the rescue and nodded. Remus gave her a look that she couldn't quite decipher. He made no further comment on the matter however and once again, she felt a little relieved at that. Lavender's grip on her arm brought her attention around and she gave her a questioning look. "Do you need to sit down?" she asked, "You've gone a funny colour," she added. Hermione shook her head.

"Just a little warm," she replied. She swallowed, finding her throat a little dry but did not relent. Hermione found that she should have spent a little more time reading her letters than getting dressed up with Ginny. She would give herself away of she carried on like this! Perhaps she should have called off tonight, said she was ill so she had more time to get her head around the situation. There was no further time to think on that however, as Lavender once more touched her arm. She looked around, straight into the black eyes of Severus Snape.

"Good evening Miss Granger, Miss Brown," he said. He inclined his head respectfully and Hermione dropped him a perfect curtsey, using all the grace she could find. It seemed to work as the trace of approval glittered in the depths of his eyes. "May I congratulate you on your engagement," he said. His cool, deep voice did something rather strange to the depths of her belly and for a moment, she was unable to find her voice.

"Thank you," she said, once more inclining her head. "I'm glad to see you looking well," she added. It sounded a little lame in her ears but she couldn't help herself, she found she wanted to hear his voice once more.

The flicker of a frown appeared for a moment between his brow before one eyebrow jerked upwards, "Miss Granger, you have never been one to make small talk, why change the habit now?" he asked.

His words took her by surprise and she stood, stunned. It seemed as though she had found someone with a little bit of common sense, if nothing else, "Perhaps I am just enquiring as to your health? Is that such a bad thing?" she asked.

Severus was not given the opportunity to answer however, as Fleur appeared by his side. Hermione kept her face level as she took his hand in hers and gave him a look of adoration. Hermione kept her face as level as she could but the display sent a shiver through her that was difficult to suppress. Lavender's little smirk did nothing to help. Severus' contempt for the woman squeezing his hand would have been difficult to see but Hermione had been taught by him for many years and it was something she was accustomed to seeing. The look gave her a small glimmer of hope, yet she was determined to be nothing but civil to Fleur. It was not her fault that she happened to be in her way. "Good evening Fleur," Hermione said with a smile.

The other woman gave her a look of open revulsion however, one that she did not try and hide, "Miss Granger, how many times do I have to remind you, it's Miss De La Cour." Lavender's eyes widened at the rudeness of the French woman, a scandalised look appearing on her features. Hermione however, was less perturbed.

"My apologies, how silly of me," she heard herself reply. Inside, she was seething but there was no need for her to let the other woman know that. Severus gave her a look that spoke volumes, it was as much of an apology as she would get and knew it for what it was. "I think it best if we leave you to your evening."

"Yes, run along and annoy someone else," Fleur said.

Before she turned to go however, she fixed her eyes onto Severus' black ones, "It was good to see you, good evening."

"Miss Granger," he replied. With that, she linked her arm with Lavender and they left the couple alone. As soon as they were out of earshot, Lavender let her disgust show completely.

"How rude can you be?" she snorted. "I knew Fleur wasn't your biggest fan but what was that about?"

"I have no idea, wonder what I did that got her knickers in such a bunch with me!" Hermione laughed. They returned to the table in which they had been formerly sat and settled back into the seats.

"Does she know about your infatuation?" Lavender whispered. She had leaned a little closer and her eyes had returned to the couple, who now looked as though they were quietly disagreeing about something. Hermione hoped it was her manners.

"Who knows, not that it should matter, I am promised elsewhere remember?" she said. Her gaze followed Lavender's and the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach returned. It made her wonder again why she would have accepted Viktor's proposal if she was as infatuated as she was. Surely there was more to it than she knew. She tucked the thought away for further thought and twisted the stem of her glass as she scanned the room again. It seemed as though Molly and Ginny had finished being swarmed by the boys within the room and they came to join them.

"I never knew how exhausting this was," Ginny said as she sank into a chair, "Is it always like this?" she asked.

"Just wait until the dancing starts." Lavender said. As if they had heard her words, the band began to play a gentle tune. Lavender smiled, "This is the entire reason I come to these things," she said. Hermione smiled at her friends and watched as the men in the room began to pluck up the courage to ask the girls to dance. It did not take long. The rest of the evening was spent dancing with a variety of different people. At first, she was keen to avoid such activities. That was until Sirius Black insisted that although she had never been a great dancer, she was always a fun partner. She had let the man haul her to her feet and turn her around the floor a few times. It turned out that Harry's godfather wasn't too bad and by the time the night was drawing to a close, she had relaxed and begun to enjoy it.

Ron had insisted on dancing with her as well, so had Harry. The only person she did not see on the dance floor was Severus. Fleur had politely danced with several others but her intended had remained stoically at the side lines. Hermione did not speak to him again; she did not want to intrude on the couple as Fleur obviously found her so objectionable.

When the music stopped, Hermione found that her feet ached and she was ready to go home. She found Lavender, who had danced with nearly everyone in the room, and linked her arm with hers. Molly and Ginny soon joined them and their carriage was summoned. The journey home was swift and by the time she was back in her room, she was exhausted. When she lay on her bed, she realised that she had really enjoyed the evening. She no longer felt as anxious about being in the new situation and was keen to learn more about this world. Glancing over at her writing desk, she knew that would be a good place to start, there were letters there that she could read through to find out more of her situation.

A yawn stopped her from thinking any further, sleep claimed her as soon as she had shirked her many layers of clothing and collapsed onto her bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione was up with the dawn. Dappled sunlight filtered through the thin curtains and danced over her face. Slowly, she opened her eyes and rolled onto her back, stretching as she went. The light outside promised to bloom into a beautiful spring day and although she wanted to lounge about in the huge four poster in which she had slept, she knew she should rise, wash and see to what was on her writing table. Still, it was harder than it looked and took her another ten minutes before she moved at all.

As soon as she had made her morning ablutions and set about dressing as best she could. Corsets were awkward at the best of times and doing so alone without having much of a clue how they worked. So it was that she sat at the desk without the thing fastened to tightly. The large bloomers that formed part of her underwear were surprisingly comfortable. They were made of a high quality cotton and were soft against her skin. The little stool on which she sat was deceptively comfortable and so she turned her attention to the letters on the desk.

The ones that were on the top were simple letters of thanks and congratulations on her engagement. Nothing that gave all that much away really and therefore not much help to her. Hermione felt that there would be others, ones with more details at least. Ones that had more than mere pleasantries in them

By the time she reached the clean paper underneath the letters, she was annoyed. There had been nothing of any use on the desk. The drivel she had read was mind numbing but she supposed that was the nature of the time period she was in. At least she knew that now. The year was 1864 and it was March. That particular information she could digest at her leisure. Opening a drawer, she saw there was a stack of letters there as well. She pulled them out and tried to find something that might give her a clue as to what had gone on.

There was a short letter from Viktor confirming his feelings for her. It seemed a little halting in nature and love letters were clearly not his forte. Hermione put it into a separate pile, one that she would keep for further investigation. A couple of rambling replies from friends who had been away, including Romilda and Luna, followed and these she added to the 'useless' pile. There was a touching letter from Ron, who had acknowledged he had done something wrong in response to her rejection of his intention to court her. She had apparently accepted the apology and this was a letter of thanks for her kindness. Touching as it was, she placed it in the useless pile – it didn't tell her all that much after all. Ron's crush on her back at school was well known and she wasn't surprised to learn of it transferring to this world too.

The letter underneath was from Severus. She instantly recognised the sharp writing, except this time it was not negative comments all over an essay about potions. This was a short, somewhat terse letter that was meant to congratulate her on her engagement. She read it twice, perfectly able to read the subtext to the letter, rather than what the words said directly. Essencially, it was saying that she was marrying a clod and that, should she wish to do so, she could marry anyone she wished. Someone who was more on her level, more able to challenge her and take care of her needs; it left her with more questions than it answered. Such as if he felt this way, why was he engaged to Fleur? Why did he not do something about it? She wondered if it actually was a declaration of his feelings or whether concern for someone who was a friend.

She placed it in the pile with the useful letters and continued to look through. After finding several more rubbish, she discovered a newspaper article. It was folded neatly in half and had a plethora of notes scribbled around the edge. The headline was all she needed to see. 'Wizarding World Wedlock'. It seemed that there had been a steady decline in the population and the ministry had decided to do something about it. It had decreed that all witches and wizards between the ages of seventeen and fifty were to find and marry suitable partners and begin solving the problem.

Hermione shuddered. Such a decree could never be passed where she was from. The population would never allow it. Her eyes were drawn to the time turner once more and she picked up the fragments. She looked at it carefully, wondering if there was any way it could be repaired. Even if she could place it back together, it would be missing the key magical components. When she looked at it closely, she could see the small spark it had once contained was gone. Placing it back onto the desk, she let out a sigh. Her stomach chose that point to begin making its empty state known.

She was about to rise, when there was a tap on her door. Calling for whoever it was to enter, it opened and in the doorway, stood one of the smallest house elves she had ever seen. "Can Biddy help mistress dress?" she asked. Her voice was soft and Hermione gave her a smile.

"Of course, thank you," she said. The little thing flushed at her gratitude and hopped into the room. Her steps were so light that Hermione hardly knew that she was there. It didn't take long for her to fasten her stays and make sure that she was comfortable. She was then helped into a light green day dress. When she was decent, Biddy began working on her hair, which had become a tangled mass of insanity overnight.

"Has mistress been reading her old letters?" she asked as she began separating the strands. Hermione nodded absently.

"Yes." She kept her tone neutral, not wanting to give anything away to the little elf.

"Is mistress unhappy with something?"

Hermione let out a sigh and Biddy paused in her work. She leaned forward and picked up the pieces of the time turner. Handing it to the creature she gave a wry smile, "Do you know what this is?" she asked.

Biddy examined the object before shaking her head, "No mistress," she replied. The metal was handed back to her and she resumed tidying her hair.

"Never mind then," Hermione said placing it away once more. It might come in handy in the future but it was becoming clear to her that she was stuck in this world for the time being. They lapsed into silence while her hair was finished and Hermione tried to prepare herself for the events of the day. Perhaps, if she stuck close to Ginny, she might learn a bit more of who everyone was. There had been plenty of people at the ball last night that she did not know and she felt as though she should. The moment Biddy was done, Hermione rose.

"I'm absolutely starving!" she said with a laugh. Biddy nodded.

"Breakfast will be ready soon but I know there is tea in the kitchen now," she said.

"Tea would be delightful!" Hermione said. The elf gave her a little smile before she snapped her fingers and disappeared.

Finding the kitchen was easy, all she had to do as follow the smell of toast. As soon as she had a cup of tea in her hands, she felt better. The toast smelled like the best thing she would ever eat but there was no way she was going to do so without the others there. She got the idea that it would be considered rude. Part of her felt a little smug about percervering with all the classic novels she had read when she was younger. The ones that Harry and Ron had always laughed at her for were certainly coming in useful now!

She did manage to find the parlour however and so settled into one of the chairs. There was a book at the side of it, one she had been reading it would appear. Picking it up, she began leafing through it idly while sipping her tea. It wasn't long before she was joined by Ginny. "Morning," she said looking up.

"Hello," she replied. Ginny sank into one of the other chairs; she looked tired still and Hermione tilted her head.

"Are you well?"

"Just tired, how do you manage to do that every night of the week?" she asked. It was obvious that she was referring to the ball the night before. Hermione smiled at her and gave a little shrug.

"I have no real idea," she replied, "Who did you speak with? Lavender and I got caught up chatting to Remus that I hardly saw you all night."

"There are so many people," she said, "Though I did spend a lot of time dancing with Harry, I was also introduced to Master Snape's half-brother, Sebastian. Although all he spoke about was the nuisance that was his little sister Mystra." Hermione filed this information away for later use, "Then there was Draco." She said rolling her eyes.

"Oh?"

"He's such an imbecile. Walks around the place as though he is entitled to everything. Strutting with those two friends of his as though he owns the place!" she snorted. Hermione couldn't keep back a giggle. It was the very image of how he was back in her time and it was good to see some things didn't change. It also made her wonder about his father. Was Lucius and Narcissa still causing trouble or had something happened to them.

"I can't say as I have noticed that but I will have a look when he's next around." Hermione giggled.

"He should be at the picnic this afternoon." Ginny said.

"Picnic?" Hermione asked. Ginny gave her a look as though she had just said something ridiculous and shook her head.

"And you asked me if I was alright! The picnic at Grange Park. It's been planned for months now, looks as though we have good weather for it too." Ginny added.

"Of course!" Hermione said, faking a look of comprehension, "I remember now."

"Everyone is going to be there, including Viktor," she added with a little smirk. Hermione felt as though she had been punched in the gut when his name was mentioned. Although the Quidditch star, if he still was a star, was handsome enough, there was just no spark at the thought of him. She remembered his halting, sloppy kisses when they went to the Yule Ball together and the thought of being married to him made her shiver. Not in the good way either.

She nodded to her friend though and took a sip of tea to hide her reaction. Fortunately, Lavender chose that moment to appear and her flushed face and wide smile dispersed the growing fear in Hermione's stomach. "Come on! Let's eat I'm starving!" she said. Her capering for food reminded her of Ron and she wondered whether they had talked about getting together. They certainly had a decent appetite in common.

Breakfast was a cheerful affair that saw all three of the girls satisfied. They spoke of small matters; things that were no deeper than the latest dress fashion and how girls should wear their hair. Although Hermione listened to their chatter, she found it rather difficult to join in, not knowing what they were. Apparently this was completely normal though; this she found out when Lavender began chuckling at the usual bewildered look that spread across her face.

When the mail arrived, there was a letter from Severus addressed to Hermione. She looked over the envelope while the other two poked fun at her. She had received a letter from her crush and apparently this was a matter of great mirth. She ran a finger over the ink but did not open it, she dare not in front of the other two, lest it give them more ammunition for amusement. What it contained was a complete mystery and she was more than a little curious as to the contents.


	5. Chapter 5

It took Hermione an age before she was able to escape the conversation of the breakfast table. The letter remained on her lap the entire time, the slight weight of the paper seemed to weigh more than a ton. It bored into her, reminding her of its presence and the fact that it was unopened. When she was finally able to escape, she darted upstairs and shut herself in her room, not wanting to be disturbed at all.

Crossing to the writing desk, she turned the letter over in her hand once more. Not wanting to risk damaging the contents, she picked up a silver letter opener and sliced the envelope open. With great care she pulled the parchment from the envelope. A burst of scent, sandalwood if she thought correctly, with a hint of cinnamon, erupted from the envelope and she inhaled sharply. The smell reminded her of the sender and a small ache grew within her chest. Careful not to damage the paper, she unfolded the letter and gave it a quick read. This she followed with a slower, more thorough read.

 _Dear Miss Granger,_

 _I'm sorry for contacting you in the manner, however I feel this would be better than speaking with you in person. Perhaps a little cowardly of me but considering the events in which I am writing to you about, I know you will forgive the infraction. I feel I should apologise to you for the behaviour of my fiancé during our meeting last night. The outburst was unnecessary and her rudeness was rather shocking. I know why she reacted as she did and although she would never admit to it being the reason, she is threatened by our previous history. This is a reason, not an excuse, there is no excuse for her behaviour and as such, I feel I need to apologise._

 _Please accept my humblest of apologies._

 _Ever yours_

 _Severus_

She read the letter over again, running a hand over the ink and smiled. She read it a final time before tucking it into her drawer with a smile. She also wondered what their previous history was and how she would be able to find out without giving herself away. It seemed as though there was a lot more going on than she realised. Glancing down at the ring on her left hand, she shook her head. Why had she agreed to such a thing if her heart wasn't in it? Something she knew to be true was the fact that the thought of Krum didn't make her heart flutter.

She had to meet him later too.

The gentle knock on the door had her turn her head before she could think of writing a reply. "Come in!" she called. Lavender opened the door and giggled into the room. She was alone and she shut it behind her.

"Well?" she asked with a smirk.

"Well what?"

"The letter, what did it say?" Hermione pondered about not telling her, it was a private matter after all. On the other hand, she was keen to keep Lavender as a friend so she patted the stool next to her. Lavender walked in, a wide smile on her face and perched next to her.

"Do you want to read it?"

"Of course!"

Pulling it out of the drawer, she handed it to her friend with a little smile. Lavender took hold of it and began reading as though it was the most fascinating thing she had read in a long time. When she handed it back, her expression was one of curiosity.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"I wonder…"

"What?"

"I want to know exactly how ashamed he is of his fiancé for her conduct." She replied with a sly little smile. Hermione looked down at the parchment in her hands and wondered what Lavender was getting at. She shook her head in confusion.

"This letter, it seems as though he wanted to get in touch with you and this was merely an excuse to do so." Hermione pulled a bit of a face at the idea, which she knew was ludicrous.

"Don't be absurd," she said shaking her head.

"Look, we can test it this afternoon at the Picnic," she said. Hermione was a little wary of the smirk that appeared on Lavender's face but couldn't find a fault with her idea. "I'll strike up a conversation with the silly French girl and you can speak with Mr Snape."

"Is that a good idea?"

"Don't worry about Molly, she'll be watching Ginny like a hawk. You remember what she was like when we'd first starting attending these functions."

Hermione nodded along, regardless of what she knew and smiled. "Alright, but tell me something Lavender."

"Anything,"

"You're very keen to help me with my marriage, but what about you?" Lavender gave her a look as though she had gone a bit soft in the head and chuckled.

"I've been engaged to Ron for the last month Hermione," she said with a laugh, "Don't tell me you'd forgotten about that," she added. Hermione rolled her eyes, of course, how could she be so daft.

"Sorry Lavender," she chuckled. Her friend gave her an odd look before rising from the stool. Damn! She shouldn't have asked. She really needed to find someone who could help her without judging her. She needed to get up to date on what was going on.

"I'll see you in a bit Hermione."

Hermione nodded and she was left along once more.

The Picnic started a couple of hours later. A short carriage ride had them arriving at the rather grand manor house that belonged to the Malfoy's. She didn't need to be told that, the rather large 'M' on the gate gave it away. What they were doing holding gatherings for the general populous she didn't know, unless Pure-blood snobbery was something that had arisen in the modern day. She doubted it and knew there was probably a good reason behind this gathering.

They were directed to the large lawn in front of a summer house and encouraged to mingle with the people who were already gathered there. Lavender gave a squeak of excitement when she spotted the blonde haired crown of Draco. When they approached him, he looked them both up and down with approval and nodded, "Afternoon ladies," he said with a grin. Hermione returned it, he was identical to how he was at school in looks and by the judge of it, attitude as well. He winked at Lavender, who flushed a pretty shade of pink. Hermione merely rolled her eyes, which made Draco chuckle all the more.

"What is it Granger?" he asked. There was no formality to his words and her smile widened ever further.

"Your way of speaking, such a breath of fresh air," she said. He gave her an odd look but shook it off with a shrug.

"Not eager to greet your fiancé?" he asked. She grimaced a little and she was sure he had caught the look, "Take that as a no then."

"I don't even know why I accepted it," she muttered. Draco gave her a look that was scandalous and he shook his head.

"Merlin's beard Granger, don't say such things unless you want to cause a scandal!" he said. Lavender merely snorted.

"We all know her heart is filled with someone else," she said. Hermione tapped her friend on the shoulder, "What, it's true isn't it."

Hermione shook her head, at a complete loss at how to handle the situation. She looked from Draco's cool blue eyes to Lavender's soft ones. Her situation seemed to be closing in on her and she faltered. "Granger, are you alright?" Draco asked.

"No," she said. She pulled a fan out of her bag and began to cool her skin.

"Come on, you need to sit down," Lavender said.

"I just feel a bit woozy," she lied. Lavender and Draco guided her to one of the blankets and forced her to sit down. Lavender promised that she would go in search of water, leaving her alone with Draco for a while.

When she was out of earshot, he leaned over so no one could hear him and said, "You may have her fooled but not me, what's going on Granger?" he asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she snorted, leaning back against a tree.

It was Draco's turn to give a snort and he rolled his eyes, "Try me." Hermione looked at the blonde and let out a sigh.

"Alright, but you have to promise not to laugh." Draco placed his hand on his heart and nodded. She took a minute to gather her thoughts before telling him everything. The bit with the time turner going wrong and how she had come to in the square yesterday, the part where she had discovered she was engaged to Krum when she had no feelings for him whatsoever, even the part where she knew nothing that was going on and was feeling desperately out of her depths.

When she finished, Draco looked at her for a long moment. She got the idea that he was going to burst out into peals of laughter, however, when he spoke, it was with a serious tone, "I'd say you were lying but no-one would bother to make up such a story," he said. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

She shook her head, "I have no idea, the Time Turner is broken and so it seems as though I'm stuck here for the time being."

"And you remember nothing?" Draco asked.

"Not a jot!" she replied.

He appeared to be considering something for a moment before speaking again, it made her wonder what was going on in that fair head of his, "I can help you," he said.

"I sense a but here," she said.

"Of course,"

"Well?"

"I will help you, fill you in on the past and such, but you have to help me find a wife," he said. She looked at him gone out, "Father is becoming insistent that I marry and sire children as soon as I can." He gave her a look of disgust.

It didn't take her long to think about it, she needed an ally. "Alright," she said with a quick nod. Draco grinned at her and held out his hand, which she shook readily.

"Right, so, what do you want to know first?"


	6. Chapter 6

The picnic goers were all soon settled on their blankets, nibbling at the various offerings Draco's father had provided for them all. It had seemed a little odd, looking up at the elder Malfoy and not wanting to blast him from where he stood into the nearest tree. He still had that haughty, I'm better than you, aloof demeanour going on but he wasn't as… scary. She wondered at that, had she really been scared of Lucius Malfoy? She supposed that she had in a way. Looking at him now, he seemed far different to then. He was more than a little preoccupied with his wife at least. In fact, it was rather sickening to watch. She turned away and tried to focus on her own romantic problems.

Meanwhile, Draco had filled a plate for them to share and was munching his way through a cucumber sandwich. She picked up one of the little triangles and bit into the corner, hoping that no one would find their companionship suspicious. She voiced her concern to Draco, who laughed at her, "Oh Merlin no!" he snorted, "We've been friends for God knows how long, since school actually," he added. She let out a small sigh and bit into the sandwich again.

"So, who have I been friends with?" she asked as she scanned the crowd.

"Not many actually," he said after finishing the sandwich, "I mean, Lavender and you have always been good mates. Ginny too when I think about it. Potter and Weasley too but that's it." Draco said, "And me!"

She chuckled at his optimism and cast her eyes around the picnic again. "We all thought you'd marry one of the Weasleys," Draco said. Hermione coughed at that, trying hard not to choke on the bit of sandwich she had happened to eat.

"Gross!" she managed to splutter. Draco laughed at her and shoved blonde strands from his face. "Really, it would be like marrying my brother." She paused and looked at her friend, "Or you!" He pulled a face at her and nodded.

"Agreed Granger." He looked at her levelly for a moment and she sucked her lower lip between her teeth.

"What happened to make me be engaged to Krum?" she asked. Draco shook his head a little and shot her a look that was pure devilry before shaking his head.

"You surprised everyone with that little stunt," he said. "It was out of the blue and rather hasty if you ask me."  
"How so?"

"You'd always told everyone that you've had your sights set on someone else, though you'd never told a soul who that was, instead you'd just go a bright colour and giggle a lot," he said. She picked up another sandwich and nibbled the corner as he spoke, "So, Krum turns up in town a couple of days after the Weasley's returned from France with the De La Cours and begins trying to ingratiate himself with all the single young ladies." Hermione nodded and urged him to continue, "You put him off for ages, told us all that such an idea turned your stomach."

"Yeah, it sort of does," she admitted.

"Then, a week ago, you changed your mind and accepted," Draco said. Hermione frowned.

"Why, in Merlin's name, would I do something like that?" she said as she scratched her head. "I certainly don't love him."

"No, that much is obvious," Draco said. It was his turn to pick up one of the sandwiches and begin eating, giving her some time to think a bit more. It didn't seem like something that she would do but the fact that there was a rather large diamond on her finger told her that it had happened. The question that still haunted her mind was why. Why had she agreed to marrying someone that she felt no real spark for. In fact, there was her fiancé walking down the green to join them. The only thing she felt was a mild friendship. She knew nothing about him she realised and that if they did marry, it was going to be a disaster.

Viktor was making his way down to where they were sitting, his gait stiff, his movements awkward. Hermione turned to Draco when he nudged her, "Is he still a champion Quidditch player?" she hissed. Draco nodded a reply as the Bulgarian approached them. Hermione took a moment to look at the fellow before her. His inky black hair was nipped back in a queue with a ribbon and his roman nose dominated his face. Black eyes peered out from between thick lashes and he offered her a curt little bow before sitting beside her.

"Hermione," he said, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Viktor," she replied with a polite inclination of her head and a smile. When he looked at Draco, Draco touched his forehead with his hand in a salute.

"How are you?" The Bulgarian asked in his thick accent.

Hermione's lips remained fixed in that smile. "Fine, thank you, and you?" she said, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Well," he replied. He kept a hold of her hand but made no further attempt to communicate. Draco gave her a look that gave her the urge to slap him but she managed to refrain. His leather clad hand was cool in hers and he'd taken her right as well so it made it all the more difficult to reach the nibbles. Draco smirked and she gave him a look that would have withered daisies. The silence extended. Hermione looked around for someone who might rescue her from such an awkward situation but found no one was willing to meet her eyes.

Finally, Draco spoke up. "So, do you intend to stay in England?" he asked, almost casually. Hermione's eyes widened, she hadn't even thought of the implications of marrying this foreigner. What if he took her away from everyone!

"I've not yet decided where we will make our home." His reply was a little halting and the smile slipped from her face. As if the decision was his alone! How archaic.

"Surely Hermione'll be happier here," Draco said. He picked up a glass of pressed lemonade and took a sip.

"But that is not her decision," Krum replied. Hermione withdrew her hand and gave him a look of complete outrage.

"And when were you going to discuss it with me?" she snapped. Krum's eyes widened a little before settling back into a glassy, impassive stare.

"Now is not the time," he muttered. Draco had the audacity to smirk at her outrage.

"Well, when is? If you think I will be happy in a marriage where my partner thinks they can make life decisions without consulting me, think again!" she said. His eyes narrowed and she watched his palms clench into fists. If he even considered raising them at her, she would hex him from here until next Sunday. His hands relaxed however and he shook his head.

"Not now," he replied, his voice was as cold as ever and she turned her head away from him. She couldn't even look at him if this was how he thought their life would be. She heard him sigh. He rose from where he was sitting and gave a bow to her, "Perhaps we shall speak of this another time," he said. She gave him a curt nod of her head before he turned and left them alone.

"What a stuffy notion," she said as soon as he was out of earshot.

"That's how it's done here Hermione," Draco said. There was still that infuriating smile on his face and she had to fight the urge to shove him away.

"Not where I'm from. I am not moving to Bulgaria and that is that!" she said. She let out a sigh and shook her head, "I don't think I want this marriage," she admitted.

"Hermione!" Draco said. This time there was a scandalised look on his face and he shook his head, "There would have to be a very good reason for you to call that off, unless you wanted to be labelled as a loose woman!"

Hermione brushed a stray lock of brown hair from her forehead and fell silent. She knew Draco was speaking the truth, and if she wanted to survive in this new time, she was going to have to be a bit more accommodating to their ideals. Swallowing them was going to be a little tough however, and she knew she would need more time. Marrying Krum was out of the question however and so, she would have to find a way to get out of that union as soon as she could.

"I don't want that Draco," she said, "I fully intend to live and flourish here but I cannot do that married to that man."

"Why not?"

"I cannot live with someone who is going to make all my decisions for me," she said with a shake of her head, "Who would consider moving me to another country without even asking!" A shiver tripped down her spine and she shuddered. Draco gave her a look of sympathy but shook his head slowly.

"I'm sure you'll be able to think of something, I'd not go around telling the idea to all and sundry though, especially not those you live with," he said, indicating his meaning by jerking his head at Mrs Weasley. She was currently fussing with Ginny and a couple of the young men who were talking to her.

Hermione nodded, "I can see what you mean," she said pulling a face. The last thing she needed was for Molly to start moaning at her for what she saw as a logical choice.

"I've got your back Hermione," Draco said, "But you've got to be careful about this."

"I know."

"You've a good brain up there, might be a good chance to use it and get what you really want," Draco said. Involuntarily, her eyes fell on Snape and Fleur. They were sat together, eating from individual plates and sharing a conversation. It looked as stilted as the one she had just had with Krum and she wondered why they had got engaged? She didn't know all that much about Severus yet and she tilted her head to the side.

"Tell me about Snape," she said to Draco. He gave her the oddest of looks and shook his head.

"Is that wise?"

"I don't know!" she snapped, "I have no idea what is and what isn't. It's all new Draco." She fought to keep her voice under control, not wanting to arouse the attention of the fellow picnic goers. Lavender chose that moment to reappear with a glass of water and flopped down beside them.

"Hello again!" she smiled, "Feeling better?

Hermione nodded and Draco gave her a smile, "Not too bad," she added. She managed to mouth the word 'Later' to Draco, who nodded.

"Well, seeing how your friend is back, I think I'll take my leave," he said.

"Thank you Draco," she said sincerely.

"Don't mention it Granger," he shrugged. She watched as her friend struggled to his feet and walked away to spend time with some of the other guests. Lavender began chatting at her but she couldn't focus, she had more than enough to dwell on as it was.


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione could hardly remember the carriage ride back home to their town house. She was sure Molly had noticed how distracted she was but she found that she didn't really care at the moment. Her head was in a spin trying to think of a way of getting out of her engagement with the toad that was Viktor Krum. There was no logical explanation for her to have done so in the first place and the idea of spending an eternity with him made her want to throw up. It was only when they arrived at the house and Lavender touched her hand to let her know that she realised they had stopped.

Her friend gave her a pointed look as they walked into the house in silence. Hermione had already seen the look and so knew she would be followed up to her room. She was not disappointed. Lavender gave her no moment to think, instead she just started talking, "Alright," he said placing her hands on her hips, "What in the name of Merlin has gotten into you?" she demanded.

"Why did I ever agree to marry Krum?" she asked as she flopped onto her chair, "He is a complete swine!" she added. Lavender's face instantly softened and she came to sit beside her.

"I'm sure he isn't," she started.

Hermione shook her head, "I cannot marry him! He wants me to move to Bulgaria after we're married and he didn't even ask me! It's not as though I am his property or anything like that." She seemed unable to prevent the words from leaving her mouth, even as her friend's eyes widened with surprise.

"How awful."

"I know. I don't think I could bear to be away from you all on a permanent basis. And to do so without asking! I don't know what he was thinking but there is no way I can do that." Hermione pushed loose curls from her forehead and sighed, "I'm going to have to think of a way of getting out of this engagement without compromising my own reputation." She could hardly believe the words that were coming out of her mouth – she sounded so old fashioned.

Lavender's brow puckered in thought as Hermione mentioned her thoughts, "Thing is though, if you don't marry Krum, who else is there?"

"I don't care at the moment Lavender," she admitted slowly, "I am not moving to Bulgaria or being chained to a man that gives my feelings no consideration what so ever."

"And he seemed so thoughtful too," Lavender sighed. Hermione shook her head and felt her throat tighten.

"What am I going to do?" she asked, knowing that her voice sounded strained when she spoke. Lavender slumped a little and shook her head.

"I have no idea."

"Me neither." Hermione pressed her lips together and dismissed Krum and the whole situation from her mind. "I should reply to Severus," she muttered. Lavender nodded.

"I didn't get the opportunity to speak to him at the Malfoy's." she said.

"That's alright, do you think he will consent to meet with me?" Hermione asked. Lavender gave a little shrug.

"I don't see why not," she replied, "Just don't ask his fiancé to go too."

Hermione nudged her friend with her shoulder and laughed, "I want to talk to him, not have her shout at me for existing." Lavender gave her a smirk, "I do wonder what her problem with me is, I'd rather like to find out."

"I'd do it Hermione, if only for your own sanity. He might have some ideas of how to get rid of Mr Krum for you as well," she added. Hermione shifted a little at the idea. Somehow, the thought of Severus getting rid of Krum seemed a little distasteful, and yet, she was more than happy for Draco to help out in that regard. Lavender must have read something in her face because she shook her head, her smile slipping, "No?"

"Doesn't seem right to me," she muttered

"Is it because you want him to take Krum's place?" Hermione had the decency to look shocked at the suggestion but there was no point trying to deny what she knew was true. Lavender knew her far better than that as well.

"Let me just write this letter first, we can worry about those details later," she said with a sigh. Lavender gave her arm a sympathetic pat before rising from the stool she had sat on.

"I have a few letters of my own to write so I shall leave you to it." Hermione nodded as she glanced up at her friend. The look in her eyes was almost too much to bear and so she returned her attention to her desk, not wanting her to know how close to tears she was about the whole thing. The moment Lavender left, she pulled out a clean piece of paper and her quill, it was time she got the reply penned so she could send it.

 _Dear Severus,_

 _Thank you_

She took the parchment and screwed it up, deciding that using his Christian name was overly familiar and didn't seem right in this case.

 _Dear Mr Snape,_

 _Thank you for your letter regarding the conduct of your fiancé._

This one she rejected as she decided that it sounded too accusatory. Yes, Fleur had been very rude to her the other day but he had apologised for that and as such, she wanted to leave it at that. She tried again

 _Dear Mr Snape,_

 _Thank you for your apologies but I assure you, they are not needed. I do not know what I may have said to Ms. De La Cour to cause such upset, I just hope that we are able to put it behind us and remain good friends. As such, I would be delighted if you would be able to meet me for lunch one day in the near future,_

 _Yours_

 _Hermione._

Thirds the charm, or so they say… Taking a deep breath, she folded the letter, placed it in an envelope and sent for one of the owls. The moment the bird was there, she gave it the letter and sent it away before she could change her mind. Done was now done and she would have to live with the consequences of that, regardless of what they were.

Hermione let out a deep breath, one she didn't realise that she had been holding and rose from her desk. There didn't seem to be anything else she could do for the moment and so she returned to the sitting room. Fresh tea was there, as was Ginny and so she decided that catching up with her other friend would be a good idea.

It turned out that she really had caught Harry's eyes, which she was thrilled about. He was apparently coming to call for her later that day and they were going to have a long chat about a variety of subjects. Hermione couldn't help be thrilled about for her friend and decided that her own troubles needed to be kept far from the girl's happiness. When Ginny asked about Krum, she merely brushed it off and changed the subject again. Ginny knew exactly what she was doing and was about to protest when Molly entered the room.

Hermione looked up at the woman who defended their honour and frowned. Her face was bright red and the frown that marred her brow was deep. She knew this meant that the woman was about to lose her temper. Ginny rose and guided her mother to a seat while Hermione poured her a cup of hot tea. Forcing it into her hands, she asked, "What happened?"

"Ron," Molly managed to breath.

"What about him?"

"Him and that bloody Dean Thomas," she hissed. Hermione exchanged a glance with Ginny before looking back at Molly.

"Go on," she said.

"Quidditch accident," Molly replied. Hermione was under the impression that this was a semi regular occurrence for Ron and she tilted her head, "Nothing serious, except this time, they crashed into the Minister and sent him into the mud, before a big meeting. He is furious!" Molly said.

"Was Ron alright?" Ginny asked.

"Of course he was!" Molly snapped, "He always is, I don't know about the Minister. He was fuming. Ron and Dean are in serious trouble and your father might lose his job." Hermione's eyes widened and she let out a sigh.

"I'm sure the Minister is a reasonable man," she muttered, he had been in her time after all. Ginny and Molly looked a little horrified at her suggestion and she realised that she had made another mistake. "Maybe not," she said, trying to make a bit of a joke about it. They seemed to buy it, which was something and she laughed a little awkwardly. Molly sipped her tea and shook her head.

"They just don't seem to take care of anything," she muttered. Her face had returned to a normal colour now and she had calmed significantly. Hermione let out a small sigh and picked her mug back up, taking a sip of the now tepid liquid. Ginny also relaxed but she found they were unable to continue speaking so freely. Molly and her daughter began speaking of her coming engagements and so Hermione picked up a book and started to read.

The volume was on the creation of healing draughts, one that she found rather interesting as it differed from what she knew from her time. It wasn't archaic or out dated, it was just different. Some of the ingredients she learned were odd, some she had never heard of before but they were interesting anyway.

She was unaware of how much time had passed until there was a tapping at the window. Looking up, she saw that their owl had returned already. Her eyes lit up at the thought of a letter from Severus and she opened the window, letting the bird into the room. Indeed, there was a letter looped around its foot and she flushed. "What is it Hermione?" Ginny asked when the cool air touched her skin.

"I have a letter," she said as she took it from the bird.

"Another one?" Molly asked with a frown. Hermione nodded, not informing them that she had already recognised the script and was about to go off and read it. She got the idea that Molly would not approve of this clandestine meeting with Severus, if he had agreed of course. Instead, she rose and excused herself, wanting to read it in private.

The moment she was in her room, she tore the envelope open and tugged out the parchment, reading it hungrily.

 _Dear Miss Granger,_

 _I find your invitation to meet acceptable and shall meet you tomorrow at noon at the Leaky Cauldron for a spot of lunch. I will come alone due to the sensitive nature of this meeting and look forward to our conversations._

 _Forever Yours_

 _Severus_

Her heart leapt into her throat and she nearly squealed with joy. He had agreed! All of a sudden, her engagement to Krum didn't seem to matter all that much anymore. It seemed like a small inconvenience that she would be able to solve easily enough. For the moment, she had something to look forward to.


	8. Chapter 8

The next day couldn't arrive fast enough. Hermione had informed Molly that she was meeting Severus for lunch and she hadn't been best pleased. That she was considering doing so without another adult present was very irregular especially as the two of them were promised to other people. Hermione was having none of it. She said that although this was the case, she had every right to meet with her friends whether they were male or female. She insisted that it would be just like her and Lavender going out for lunch by themselves. The older woman hadn't been happy about it but she had eventually relented, letting Hermione get her own way.

It was about an hour and a half before she was due to meet Severus that she got herself into a panic. She had no idea what to wear. Her wardrobe doors were flung wide and she stood in her underwear looking over all the pretty things it contained. She didn't want to dress up too much, lest Molly take umbrage with her and insist it was more than what it was. Then again, she didn't want to let Severus think that it didn't matter to her either. In the end, she settled for a pretty cream dress that had flowers embroidered over it and red trim. Once it was on, she had enlisted the assistance of Lavender with her hair. She had even applied a little of the lip gloss she had stashed in her bag. A final glance in the mirror and she knew she was as ready as she could be. Before she left, she scooped up the parts of the broken time turner and placed them carefully in her bag.

The ride in the carriage seemed to take far too long. Every moment brought her closer to the little café where they would meet, making her heart thud along in her chest. The clatter of the wheels on the cobblestones and the rock of the carriage usually didn't bother her; today however, was another matter. It turned the nerves in her belly to sickness and she knew that by the time she arrived, she would look pale and ghastly. Not the impression she had wanted to give.

By the time the foreman opened the carriage, she felt a little unsteady on her feet. The moment she was on the ground again, she sucked in a deep breath and took a look around. She was sure that a warm cup of tea and some conversation between her and Severus would go down very well, it would restore her to herself in no time, of that she was sure. Informing the foreman that she would be returning in two hours, she crossed over the pavement to the café, determined to find a relatively secluded seat so they could speak without the risk of anyone overhearing. For some reason, she was sure that the both of them being seen together in this manner would become the subject of gossip, something she was keen to avoid.

Fortunately, there was a small booth at the back of the tea house that was vacant. She made her way over to it, carefully picking her way across the floor so as not to knock any tables. The moment she was settled in, she ordered a pit of tea for herself and a black coffee for him. Strange, she seemed to know exactly how he had it. Not a strange leap of the imagination, he did wear black, it made sense if he were to drink it too.

She passed the time by looking around the pretty little place, there were more than a few people inside the building and a couple taking advantage of the decent weather and sitting outside too. The interior was clean, bright and very welcoming. A kindly looking woman waited behind a counter, making sure the entire place was spotless; she wondered whether she was a witch or not. Hermione had been so caught up with getting to know what was going on that she hadn't even considered what was going on out in the Muggle world.

The door to the café opened and she let out a sigh, glad to see her friend step through the door. He was dressed in his usual black attire; would it have been such a stretch to see him wearing something else? She supposed it was. She gave a small wave, signalling him over. He settled in opposite her, stretching his legs out. His gaze was as black and formidable as ever. She swallowed, now that he was here, she wasn't entirely sure what she was going to say. Maybe this had been a bad idea after all. Perhaps she shouldn't have come.

"Good day Ms Granger," he said pulling the coffee over.

"Hello," she said, sipping her tea and falling silent again.

Well, this was a bit awkward. She placed her cup down and swallowed; she was the one who had called this meeting, she may as well get on with it.

"I trust you're well?" she asked.

"I am, better than you I think, you're pale," he said.

"The carriage ride wasn't very good, the roads here are awful," she said. He raised an eyebrow at that, maybe she shouldn't have said that.

"Ms Granger, I doubt you called me here to discuss the quality of the roads. Our conversations have always been interesting and challenging in the past, don't disappoint me now." His words were a little sharper than she would have expected but nowhere near as scathing as they had been in the classroom. She knew then that if she was going to get a complete explanation from him, she would have to be honest. That would mean telling him everything; how she got here and why she had no recollection of what had passed between them previously.

Letting out a breath she had no idea that she had been holding, she nodded. "I can trust you can't I?" she asked. It seemed a touch unnecessary but she needed to hear it out loud.

"You always have done before, why would that change?"

She pressed her lips together and resisted the temptation of pushing her hand through her hair – it was currently fixed in some sort of elaborate design and she didn't want to look like a banshee just yet. "Truth is… I need your help," she said.

"If this is about Krum, the answer is still no," he said, somewhat waspishly. She shook her head.

"I have no idea how to fix that problem, no idea how that even happened." Instead of carrying on talking, she pulled out the broken parts of the magical device and placed them carefully on the table. "Do you know what this is?" she asked, dearly hoping that he did.

She watched him carefully as he picked over the small parts she had set on the table. He nodded, "This was a time turner," he said.

"Yes, it was a badly made one too. I was sent to recover it from an ancient witch by the minister of magic. She was only too glad to part with it, Instead of heading back to the Ministry though, I took it home. It was falling to pieces in my hands and I know I should have left it as it was but I couldn't resist. I used it. Next thing I know, I'm not in my London flat any more but here, dressed like this, two hundred years in the past." She said. She dared not look up when she finished speaking, not wanting to see the scorn or disdain in his eyes. Instead, she picked up her mug of tea and took a long sip.

When she finally did look up, his face showed no ire at her; he just looked as though he was thinking hard about something, "So you have no memory of what happened before you arrived?" he asked slowly. She shook her head. Hermione had no idea what it was he was thinking about but it looked as though it was serious.

"I have no way to return to my time either, that I know about," she added. He looked up from his coffee then, his expression ponderous.

"No wonder you're so anxious to get away from Krum," he said. She chuckled, of all the things he could have said, he chose to comment on her choice of life partner.

"I don't want to go to Bulgaria," she said.

"Who would," Severus said, "Now I'll never know why you accepted his proposal," he added with a soft sigh.

"Did we argue over something?" she asked, "I've seen letters but there's nothing in them of substance. I get the impression that we have been friends for a while; but then something caused a rift between us. I've asked but no one seems to know, or want to tell me," she explained.

He remained silent for a moment, carefully watching his face. Of course, he gave nothing away there, "We did fall out." He confirmed, "But it seems so silly now I look back. It was a mere trifle," he said. She nodded, not entirely convinced but unable to argue otherwise. She took another sip of her tea, hoping that she had made the right decision by going to him. "I will help you with Krum," he said after a moment.

"You will?" she asked.

"But you have to do something for me in return," he said.

"Of course."

"You must tell me everything you can remember of the future," he said.

Now, that didn't seem like too bad an idea, it would give them plenty of reason to spend time together, that much was certain. She nodded. "I'd be happy to," she said. "There is a lot to tell," she added.

"You can come by the Manor and tell me all about it," he said. She wasn't sure, but she thought she saw the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Are you sure Ms De La Cour will be alright with that?" she asked, not wanting to openly cause a rift between the pair of them.

He shook his head, "She will not be a problem," he said. She believed him, it was his house after all and they were friends. She might want to be more than that but would never openly push for it while she was still in the picture.

"Then that's fine," she said, draining her mug. "The moment Krum had gone, I'll tell you all you want to know." The way she said it made it sound a little bit sinister, it wasn't meant like that at all.

"I believe we have a deal then Ms Granger," he said with a nod. She watched him finish the coffee before rising from her seat.

"We do, I should head back," she said. She could make out the footman milling about outside. With that, Severus nodded. He too, rose from his seat and offered her the crook of his arm. She took it, feeling her cheeks colour and he walked her out of the shop.

"I shall be in touch," he said when she was safely stashed back inside the carriage.

"Thank you," she said, smiling. The smile was returned with the briefest of twitches. He signalled the driver and before she could say anything else, she was being driven back to the Weasley's place. They were half way home when she recalled that she had not picked up the parts of the Time Turner.


	9. Chapter 9

The carriage ride home was far more comfortable and relaxed than the one to the café had been. Hermione found that she had rather a lot to think about and while she was alone seemed like the best place to do so. Lavender would have more than a few questions for her, as would Molly and she needed to get her head around what he'd told her before she answered any of them. That they would see his invitation to visit as inappropriate crossed her mind; perhaps it would be better to keep that fact from them… thing was how? Alright, maybe not. They had been friends before, that much had been made obvious and so would there be anything wrong with visiting him again? She shook her head. Damn being here was so confusing; the rules of their society were so different from everything she knew. Back home, she would be able to do as she pleased, not have to have a man's permission or an accompanying woman to make sure there was nothing going on.

She let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. Then there was the reason why they'd fallen out in the first place. Severus had said that they'd fallen out over something small and inconsequential but she got the idea that it was more than that. Maybe she would find that out when she visited. Pressing her lips together, she also wondered what he would want to know about her world, and what she would be able to tell him. Surely there were things that she should keep to herself; she didn't want to do anything that might damage the time line. She had seen Doctor Who; she knew the dangers of time travelling!

The carriage continued to rattle along down the cobbled street, bringing her ever closer to the place that was now her home. Although there were a hundred questions zipping around her head, she knew she had to seem calm and clear when she faced Molly. She dearly wanted to be able to meet Severus at his Manor, convincing Molly that there was nothing more going on other than friendly exchanges. She could do that.

When the carriage door opened, she hopped out with the aid of the footman and headed into the Weaseley household. The lounge was where she found Molly, time to get this over with. She offered the older woman a bright smile when she looked up.

"How was it?" she asked. Her tone was neutral, good!

"It was good," Hermione replied as she walked into the room.

"And how was Mr Snape?" she asked. Hermione smiled, aware that there was never any preamble with Molly.

"Quite the gentleman," she replied, "We have managed to set aside our differences and have resumed our friendship as before." Hermione watched the expression on Molly's face darken for a moment, "What is it?"

"I don't like it," Molly said, "I never liked it. It's not right for a young woman and a man of Mr Snape's standing to be friends."

"Why?"

"We've been over this a hundred times Hermione," Molly said, her voice becoming short. "His intentions aren't clear, he's already engaged to Ms De La Cour, why should he want to speak with you too?"

The first thing that shot through her was that Fleur was an ill-conceived match; she would never be able to satisfy Severus' intellectual needs but she refrained from speaking that. Molly wouldn't understand and it would just cause more of an argument that she wanted. Hermione was smart enough to know that she would need Molly on her side if she was going to succeed.

"We discuss all manner of magical elements," she said instead, "Mainly potions and how they can be altered to be more effective," she added. She could already see the older woman losing interest so she continued this line of conversation, "We're going to look over some of his older books and see what we can come up with, nothing more adventurous than that," she said.

"I still don't see why he needs you for that, surely he has enough older, male companions he could do this with." Hermione resisted rolling her eyes, reminding herself that this was just the nature of the time she was now in and gave a little shrug. "I doubt your father would agree with me, but I don't see the harm in you going there to look over some old books."

She let out a small sigh of relief, "Thank you," she said.

"Just for a couple of hours mind you, in the afternoons, returning here no later than four," Molly added her expression stern. Hermione knew better than to argue right then, it was something she could work on as time went by. When Krum was out the way, she knew it was only a matter of time. She nodded her understanding to Molly and smiled.

"Thank you," she said again. Rising from where she had sat, she bade her farewell and headed upstairs. She needed to let Severus know that she had gained permission to visit and the conditions under which she was able to do so. The moment she was inside her room and the door shut, she let the triumph show on her face for the first time. It felt as though she had taken a huge step forwards in making her plan work. There were so many questions she still had and this felt as though it was making the answers all the nearer. Settling down at her desk, she penned a quick note, handed it to her owl and relaxed.

She didn't hear anything until Krum called at the house seven days later. Hermione and Lavender had been playing a game of draughts when there was a light knock at the door. Molly answered it and before Hermione could object, Krum was ushered into the room. He was dressed in the smart uniform of his country, his hair combed and his expression grim. Lavender let out a little squeak when he strode in. Hermione turned her face up to him, knowing her eyes did not reflect the emotion that he had so much wanted to see in them.

"Mr Krum?" Hermione asked.

"Can you give us a moment?" He said turning to Lavender. Hermione looked to her friend, who gave her an apologetic glance and practically fled the room. Victor took her place on the seat opposite Hermione and pressed his lips together. Moments later, he spoke.

"Something has happened at home," he said, "I must return there."

Hermione made a show of widening her eyes, "What is it?"

"My mother is sick, according to a letter I got. I apologise for not speaking with you sooner," he said. Hermione shook her head.

"No, you should go," she said.

"I do not know how long I will be gone," he said. He shifted, looking more uncomfortable by the moment. Was he seriously worried about her reaction? Was he so blind to her lack of affection that he was scared she would become emotional?

"What do you mean?" she asked, playing along with the charade for the moment.

She watched as Krum swallowed, here it came, the words that were supposed to break her heart. She sure hoped that she was able to put on enough of a show to make it believable. He took her hand in his then and she forced her eyes up to him. "We should annul our attachment," he said, "I do not know how long I will be gone and I don't think it fair to make you wait that long." Hermione turned her eyes back to the floor and slowly nodded her head. "No, don't get upset Hermione, it is for the best." His clipped tone told her that he was waiting for her to disagree, to say that she would go with him and nurse his poor mother back to health with him. He was bound to be disappointed.

"I see," she said softly. It was her turn to press her lips together and she nodded again.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "I will write to you," he said.

Hermione turned her eyes back to Krum and put on a little smile, "I'd like that," she said, keeping her voice low, as though she was sad. "Do you want this back?" she asked, running her finger over the engagement ring on her hand. Krum shook his head.

"Wear it and remember me," he said. He then turned her hand over and pressed his cool lips over her palm, "I need to go," he said. She nodded again, not saying a word. When he rose, she did and walked him to the door.

"Thank you," she said finally. He turned in the doorway and offered her a small smile.

"I hope you have a happy life," he said. She was touched genuinely by his sincerity and she returned the smile.

"You as well,"

"Farewell," he said. With that, he turned on his heel and strode off back to the waiting carriage. She watched him go, waving a little as he passed and left her life forever. When the door shut, she let out a sigh and sagged against it. Strengthening herself, she pulled the ring off her finger and smiled, a genuine smile for the first time in what seemed like ages. All she had to do now was convince the others that she was genuinely upset about this turn of events; something that might prove difficult.


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm sorry for the length of time between my updates, I work a very busy job as some of you know and this can keep me away from writing for months at a time. I shall try my best to update this a little more regularly but I cannot promise consistency in this. Thanks for your patience, as always**

 **Lu**

The first one to see Hermione about it was Lavender. Perhaps she was the only one, other than Severus, who knew how she truly felt about Krum. When she poked her head around the door of her room, she offered her a half smile. "It's alright Lavender," she said beckoning for her to enter and shut the door.

"You're really alright with it?" her friend asked as she settled on the chair beside her.

"It's what I wanted," she replied, "You know that." Lavender nodded. She looked over Hermione's desk and picked up the engagement ring, examining it.

"He let you keep it?" she asked as she turned the golden ring over.

"Yes," she said, "I should have given it back but he was insistent. I couldn't deny him that," she added. Lavender offered her a sympathetic little smile and handed her the ring back, "I don't think I want to wear it though," she said. She folded Lavender's hand over the trinket and shook her head, "You keep it."

"Hermione I couldn't," she said. "It's yours."

"Well, put it in the drawer then," Hermione said, gesturing to the drawer in question. Lavender did as she was asked and slid the drawer shut, sealing away the ring.

"What're you going to do now?" Lavender asked.

"I have no idea," Hermione replied, "Enjoy myself for a while and not worry about it too much."

"Was marrying Krum that bad?"

"He wanted to ship me off to Bulgaria without asking me what I wanted," she shuddered at the thought, "Away from my friends, away from everyone," she said. The look of sympathy in Lavender's eyes was obvious and she wrapped a hand around her shoulder in a light hug.

"What about making a match?" she asked.

"Lavender, there is so much more to life than finding a husband and getting married," Hermione said, resting her head against her friends shoulder. She knew that Lavender, this version of her at least, was as much a product of her time as Molly. Her forward thinking ways would be alien to her but she couldn't help but voice her opinion anyway. At least Lavender seemed to accept that her funny ways were a part of who she was and that they were never going to change.

"Maybe," Lavender said. Hermione could tell by the tone of her voice that she didn't really believe her. That was fine. She was here to learn what she could and see if there was anything she could do about it. Perhaps Severus would be able to help with that little problem too! "At least now you can see Severus again!" Lavender said. Despite herself, Hermione flushed a brilliant shade of red.

"He's engaged already!" she protested, even though she knew what Lavender said was true.

"I don't think that's going to stop you somehow!" Hermione let out a shocked little laugh at that and nudged her friend's shoulder with hers. Molly chose that moment to call for them both, apparently tea was ready, and so the subject was dropped.

"Don't tell Mrs Weasley," Hermione said as they approached the door.

Lavender shook her head, "Promise," she said. Satisfied, Hermione followed her down into the sitting room for afternoon tea. For the first time in what seemed like ages, she felt glad to be there.

It was three days later that Hermione heard from Severus, and another two before she was able to pay a visit to his home. Molly had tried to force Lavender to go along with her, as a chaperone to ensure nothing untoward happened while she was there. However, Lavender was busy having tea with Luna and Neville and no one else had been available. So it was that Hermione found herself approaching the large doors that were the entrance to Severus' Manor all by herself.

Looking up at the huge dark wood doors was more than a little intimidating. It was at least twice her height and engraved with a pattern that screamed foreboding at anyone who happened to look at it. Still, there was only one thing to do. Reaching out a sure hand, she tapped a couple of times on the wood and took a step back, certain that she was expected and someone would be waiting for her. She was not disappointed. Moments later, the door opened.

"Master is expecting you," said a well presented house elf. Hermione gave the creature a sympathetic nod of thanks and stepped inside. The interior was not what she had expected. Quite what she had in mind was a lot darker and perhaps a little drab. These pale cream floral patterned walls with a thick light green carpet had been as far from her mind as anything. It had the feeling of a woman's touch to it, but it was far too classy to have been Ms De La Cour. It had been there too long for that as well.

"This way," the elf spoke again, snapping her from her thoughts and she followed it silently to the sitting room. "He will be along shortly," it said before snapping its fingers and disappearing. Hermione was left in the centre of a moderate sized sitting room. Looking around, she found that this room also had a light feeling to it. It wasn't cramped or dusty. There were several books left on the side in a neat pile. In fact, when she took another look around, she noticed that the whole room was immaculate. Eventually she chose an arm chair by the fire and picked up the top book on the pile. It was a volume on making potions – she was less that surprised at his reading material. Opening the first page, she realised that there had been a copy of this book at the library at Hogwarts.

Looking over some of the recipes in it made her smile and before long, she was pulled into the pages and unaware of what was going on around her. "I get the impression you're going to tell me half of those recipes are wrong," came the droll voice of her friend. Hermione jumped. Blood thudded in her ears and a hand flew to her chest.

"You startled me!" she exclaimed, placing the book to the side. He made no apology about it as he walked into the room. Hermione watched as he settled into the chair opposite her, his dark eyes coolly assessing her, as though he was sizing her up for something. Hermione swallowed; it was a little bit like being back in the potions classroom… No, she wasn't going to let this man intimidate her. Not again. "Where do you want to start?" she asked, aware that she had her side of the bargain to fulfil, "Thank you, for getting rid of Krum," she added, knowing she should thank him for it before anything else.

"You're welcome," he replied with a small incline of his head. "Tell me about the Wizarding World," he said. It seemed like a decent enough starting point and so she began.

"Not an awful lot has changed in two hundred years," she said, "Then again, other aspects have changed greatly. Hogwarts still exists; you are a potions master there in fact." He let out a snort at that but she continued. "Diagon Alley is much the same as it is now; a few businesses have changed but not all that many." The more she thought about it, the more she realised that there hadn't been all that much change in the wizarding world… except for one thing and she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to disclose that much just yet. She had no idea what the effects of these conversations were going to be; for all she knew, talking about the War before it happened might change the outcome. If Severus didn't join the Deatheaters in the future, he'd not be there to work against him. It could mean that The Dark Lord won in the end and that was something she was very keen to avoid.

"Tell me something useful Hermione," Severus said. She looked up at him and pressed her lips together again.

"I don't know what I can and cannot say," she said honestly, "I'll start with potions," she added after a pause. It was a subject that he was clearly interested in and she thought she could do very little harm, especially if she only related some of the things he had discovered in the future. Feeling very clever, she began relating some of the details that she could remember. A few of the improvements to the recipes Harry had discovered in his later years at Hogwarts. Much to her delight, he jotted down what it was she told him. His hand as neat and clipped as ever, his concentration something to be admired. She smiled as she spoke, glad to be able to tell him these small details. When she finished, he looked over the notes he had made and turned inky black eyes to her.

"This is interesting," he muttered, pointing to one of the potions. "Do you think we could recreate this?"

She nodded, "Of course, it's simple enough," Hermione said. "I'd be happy to show you in fact," she added.

"Some of these ingredients are rather rare. It may take a day or so to procure them," Severus said, scanning the list once more. Hermione nodded.

"I doubt I would be allowed to visit again so soon anyway," she said, speaking before thinking through what she was saying. She flushed a little at that and looked away, "Molly already thinks there is something going on."

"Molly has always had her nose in where it isn't wanted," Severus replied. Hermione laughed a little at that and shook her head. She agreed with his sentiment completely, hearing it however was unexpected. "Then we shall agree to meet again in a week?" he asked.

Hermione nodded, "See what you can get from those lists and we'll have a good go at making those potions," she smiled. He nodded. The mantel clock then began to strike and she turned her eyes to him once again, "My carriage will be here soon," she said. He rose when she did, escorting her to the door like a perfect gentleman should.

"Thank you for your company," she said when they reached the door.

He took her hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles in a chaste manner, "I look forward to our next encounter," he said. She flushed at his lovely manners and was about to ask something when there was a dull bang from the floor above them. Severus' eyes flicked up, Hermione knew better than to do the same; maybe it was just a book falling from a shelf. Somehow she doubted it but it would be rude to ask.

"Thank you again," she said as the footman approached. His eyes lingered on hers for a long moment, the bang all but forgotten. After a long pause, she turned and headed for her carriage, the place on her hand where his lips had touched still warm and tingling.


	11. Chapter 11

The next time Hermione saw Severus was three days after the time she visited the house. It was sooner than she had thought but not in the manner in which she had hoped for. The reason for the encounter was the annual ball held in honour of a wizard named Mundungus Rickets. Hermione was reminded of the other Mundugus she had known in the future and a small sigh escaped her. As much as she was enjoying herself living in this simpler time, she was forced to wonder what was going to happen. She had no idea whether she would ever be able to get back to her time and she found she missed the companionship of Ron and Harry, not to mention some of the comforts she was used to – flushing toilets for one thing, showers for another. The old tin bath she had used was fine enough but it took ages, she missed the convenience of it all.

Dismissing her thoughts as slightly maudlin, she decided that she was going to make the best of the situation as she could. If that meant dancing with some handsome young lads and drinking all the punch, then so be it. Her attachment to Severus confused her and it was this she was thinking of as she sat on a chair regaining her breath. Before, when she had been at Hogwarts as a student, she had never had such feelings for him. Even if she had it would have been nothing more than a silly schoolgirl crush. Sure, she had defended his actions because she saw them as right. He had been vindictive to Harry, and at times, that had been a source of irritation to the three of them but there was nothing more to it than that. She had defended him because Harry was an insolent teenager at the time who was unable to see past it. It had been nothing more than that.

Now that she was here, in a different time with him though, she couldn't stop thinking about him. To the point where it was rather annoying, this was something she hadn't encountered before. Sure, she had been in love with Ron, before that had turned sour but it had never been as intense as this. He plagued her dreams, her thoughts, her goals. The mind of the Hermione she was now was rather different from her own… was it that, or was it the fact that she was now in a different time and was being forced to adapt to the rules here? Or was it because she had always denied that she felt this way and now there was an opportunity to explore the emotion, it was being released.

"Stop thinking Hermione, you're going to hurt yourself!" Lavender's voice interrupted her thought and she looked up, realising that she had been frowning.

"Was it that obvious?" she asked.

"I could hear you a mile away."

"Who have you danced with?" Hermione asked, wanting to change the subject so her friend wouldn't guess her thoughts.

"Several people, as many as you in fact. Draco was the best though, he always is."

"He certainly is," she nodded, "How did Ron feel about that?"

"Ron knows Draco's intentions to me are pure," Lavender replied with a little sigh, "I just wish Ron was able to dance as well as he does."

"No one is perfect," Hermione said. Ron had been particularly quiet over the last couple of days, "Does he miss Krum?" she asked.

Lavender nodded, "He still cannot understand why his idol had to run off home, I think he was more gutted about it than you."

"He did seem so when he spoke about it. He couldn't grasp why I wasn't more upset that I was." Hermione said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She cast her eyes around the room then and noticed something that set the blood thundering in her ears and a flush on her cheeks. Looking up, she saw Severus, the man she so desperately wanted to spend the rest of her days with, dancing in the arms of the French woman he was engaged to. She pressed her lips together but knew already that her thoughts were playing out over her face. Unable to tear her eyes from the display in front of her, she took to wringing her hands together.

Lavender turned her took at her; Hermione knew she should say something, do something even but was unable to think of anything constructive, "It's just dancing," she said. Hermione pressed her lips together, knowing that she had been caught but was powerless to stop herself, "Look, they're not even that close together."

It was only a small comfort but she would take what she could get. They weren't all that close together, certainly she had been closer when she had danced with Draco but that didn't mean anything, it still felt like an affront whenever she saw them together. There was no way that Fleur would be able to cater to his intellectual needs. She was a complete dullard and interested in only the frivolous of things. Perhaps she was being a little uncharitable when she thought that but it was close to the truth. She had no idea what they taught girls in Paris but it wasn't the same as they did here.

Then the blonde haired woman turned and caught Hermione's eyes. The smug look on her face was almost too much for her to bear. It was only the fact that Lavender was sat next to her that prevented her from walking over and saying something, propriety be damned. The look Lavender gave her however had her remain calm. Taking a deep breath, she schooled her expression into a passive one before looking back. When Fleur caught her eye again, she gave a little wave. Lavender laughed.

"She should be paying attention to what she's doing and not seeing how I react," Hermione said. "Come on, let's get some more punch before I decide to throw something at her." Lavender nodded and they both headed towards the punch bowl, not thinking any more of it.

Hermione dismissed the entire thing and spent the rest of the evening talking to people who appreciated her company. Mainly Draco, Neville and Luna. Harry was busy with Ginny and Lavender had to spend some of her time with Ron. The conversation turned again to weddings and how she was now 'back on the market.' Hermione couldn't help but feel like a piece of meat when they teased her but she took it good naturedly none the less.

Eventually, Draco was called to dance once more and the other two melted into the dancefloor as well. Left alone, Hermione watched the dancers, wondering what would become of her once more. Her thoughts were interrupted by a high pitched cough. Turning around, she noticed that it was none other than Fleur standing beside her, "May I help you?" she asked keeping her voice as polite as ever.

The bright blue eyes of her nemesis scanned her coolly, Hermione held her gaze, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of looking away first, "Does it upset you?" she said in her high pitched little voice. Hermione blinked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Does my being with Severus upset you?"

Hermione blinked, not too sure how to take being called out like that. Fleur would expect anger and indeed, the flush of indignation flooded her nose in a hot rush, however she forced it to the side, there was no need to give the woman the satisfaction of knowing how she felt. "No," she lied, "I care for him in the capacity of a friend, as I have always done, no more."

"See that it remains that way," she said. The expression on her face was a little more sullen, "I know about your visits to the house and what you're doing, I could easily spread rumours about your past indiscretions," she said. Hermione raised her eyebrow at that.

"Do you really?" she asked. "I wonder what your fiancé would say to that, you causing trouble between him and his friends," she added. Her face dropped at that and she turned away with a huff. Hermione shook her head, seemed as though Ms De La Cour was more than a little insecure about her relationship. She looked up across the room in time to see Ron and Lavender come bounding over.

"The carriage is here Hermione," Lavender said.

"We're going?" she asked. Ron nodded.

"Mum needs us all up in the morning for our trip," he said.

She almost asked what trip when she remembered seeing something on the kitchen table about an outing to the countryside. There was going to be a fair too she had read, which would make the week that more interesting. It was a little way out the city and although they were traveling via port-key, they were still needed there early to help with the setting up. Hermione was only too happy to leave. The last time she had looked, Fleur was trying to make a grand show of being all over her fiancé, who was resisting her rather heartily. Although it was amusing, it was also rather pathetic. Hermione left them to it and followed her friends to the awaiting carriage, eager for the excitement of the next day.


	12. Chapter 12

The following morning, Hermione and Lavender were up with the sun. Molly was storming around the house, trying to get the boys to awaken and help with the preparations for the annual summer fayre. The baking had all been done the previous day but as Molly's cake stall was legendary, she was anxious that everything went according to her very rigid plan. This plan involved all of them arriving at the fayre at eight in the morning to make sure everything arrived promptly as was set out just so. Hermione would have found the whole thing amusing if it wasn't for the anguished looks her guardian kept giving her.

It was a quarter past eight by the time they were all ready and had a grip on the port key. Ron looked every bit as dapper as he should for an event like this and Lavender couldn't take her eyes from him. Hermione would have felt a bit sick if she hadn't found it adorable at the same time. He certainly hoped that she didn't look at Severus in such an openly hungry manner, though she probably did. Fred did it for her and pulled a face. Hermione giggled, which earned them both a withering stare from Molly. Signalling everyone was ready, the eldest Weasley uttered the correct words and they were on the way. It was a little bit like flying, the rush of the wind on her face was exhilarating even if the landing was a little on the bumpy side.

When they arrived, Hermione was amazed by what she saw. She had been expecting something similar to what they'd had in her time, a few stalls, a few games and such but this was much larger. There were stalls for animals, which were currently being filled with all manner of farm creature. As well as this, there were magical creatures, including a couple of hippogriffs, being led around. There were far more stalls than she had anticipated and Hermione now realised why Molly was so anxious to get there early.

Hermione and Lavender wasted no time in getting the cakes laid on the stall in a manner that was pleasing to the eye. Molly busied herself with ensuring there were enough coins in the cash box for change and shooing off the few people who tried to see her wares before they were ready. It took a little longer then Hermione had anticipated and although they were ready in time for the beginning of the fair, it was only just. She was also more than a little impressed with the goods. She knew that Molly baked them all by hand, not using a single spell in the process and each cake was a work of art. The best one, she thought, was the one that had been made to look like a horse and carriage. She had no idea how she had done it, only that the frosting for the horse's mane looked delicious and the miniscule details really made it a work of art.

Lavender gave her a nudge, indicating that she needed some help with the stall. Of course, now that it was open, people were beginning to investigate the stall further. It kept all three of them very busy for most of the morning. Hermione found she had spoken to more people there than she had at any of the balls, which was likely what her guardian had in mind when she had asked for her help. She had just handed over a piece of sticky chocolate cake when a young man she had met before only once appeared.

"Good Morning Miss Granger," he said. Looking up, her eyes met the bright blue ones of Sebastian Snape. His black hair was nipped back into a neat tail and he looked exceptionally dapper in his day suit.

"Hello," she said, a smile growing on her lips without thinking about it. "Can I help you?" she asked.

He looked over the cakes on the stall with mediocre interest before giving a little shrug, "Which do you recommend?" he asked.

"Honestly, Mrs Weasley's cakes are the best I've ever tasted. Each of them are as good as the other. Do you have a particularly sweet tooth?" she asked. "Her chocolate cake is exceptional but a little rich for my tastes."

Sebastian shook his head, "No, I shall have a slice for Mystra however I prefer something lighter."

She indicated the fruit cake instead, "Then this is what you want, far lighter and very tasty," she said. He nodded that this would be acceptable and so she cut the desired pieces of cake. He handed her a couple of coins, which she put in the box before handing him the cake wrapped in a couple of napkins.

"Will you be free later?" he asked as he took the cake from her. Hermione blinked in surprise, she had no idea he carried any interest in her. Molly looked on with interest at the exchange and Hermione knew that if she rejected him, there would be no silencing the woman, and that she would very likely be unable to visit his half-brother alone again. She flushed and opened her mouth to speak, "What's the matter? I've been too forward haven't I?" he asked. The colour on his cheek was fetching and she quickly shook her head.

"Not at all, I'm just a bit surprised, "I wasn't expecting it. I'd love to meet you later," she said. In fact, the idea wasn't altogether repugnant. He was fair looking and it would be a good chance to find out a little more about the other members of Severus' household. Hermione looked around at Molly, who offered her an indulgent smile.

"Go now Hermione, you've been more than helpful this morning and most of the cake is gone. I'm sure Lavender and I can handle it for a while," she said. The kind way in which she said it made a pang of guilt flow through Hermione, she only intended to talk with the lad, not court him and the idea of giving Molly false hope was abhorrent. She did not stop however and gave a grateful nod.

"I'll be back soon," she said before walking around to the other side of the stall. Sebastian waited for her and she soon fell in step beside him.

"The fair is decent this year," he said, indicating the stalls.

"I have no idea, I've been there all the morning and not had a chance to look around," she confessed.

"Then we shall drop this cake off to my sister and we shall have a walk," he said. She could find no fault with this and so followed him to the blanket on which the rest of his family was sat. Severus was there with Fleur, and although she offered them both a polite smile.

"Good afternoon," she said. She kept her tone even, cool almost. The last thing she wanted to do now was create a scene and fuss with Fleur. She knew the other woman detested her but it wasn't as if she had sought her out to be unkind.

"Miss Granger," Severus said, nodding his head. He seemed to have picked up on her tone and matched it, for which she was grateful. His fiancé, who was sitting at his side, though not touching him gave her a curt nod before turning her head away. Mystra however had other ideas. She turned soft blue eyes to Hermione and flicked back blonde curls. Her smile was wide and open and Hermione judged her to be little more than seven years old. It made her wonder where her mother was and why Severus was the charge of these two.

"Are you going walking?" she asked. Hermione nodded.

"Your brother has offered to show me the fair," she said in response. The girl's eyes widened with delight.

"Can I come too?" she asked. Sebastian opened his mouth to speak but Hermione turned to him and smiled. With both of them, he was unable to resist. He nodded.

"Very well," he said. With an excited clap, the girl got to her feet and grinned. She walked over to Hermione and took her hand.

"There's an amazing game over there," she said, tugging her hand as if to lead her towards it. Hermione shot Sebastian an apologetic look but there was no way she was going to be able to deny the girl. He just smiled and followed alongside her.

Mystra led them both to a coconut shy and watched as someone else tried to knock the coconut from the post with a heavy ball. It looked tricky as it was quite a distance. "I'm not much good at throwing," Hermione said, "But maybe Sebastian could do it for us?" she said to the girl.

"What a great idea!" she agreed. Sebastian looked a little unsure for a moment but finally gave a nod.

"I can try," he said. Hermione handed the vender the small coin for the three balls and stepped to the side, allowing her friend to have a go at hitting the coconut. Mystra stood beside her, an eager look on her face as her older brother attempted to win them the treat.

He threw the first one, falling just short of the post. Hermione sucked in a breath and she felt a little hand grab hers. She squeezed it before giving Sebastian an encouraging shout. Mystra watched as the second shot was lined up. Hermione's breath caught as he released, hitting the post. The coconut wobbled but remained where it was.

"This time!" Hermione called. Mystra nodded fiercely and they both watched as he readied for the final throw. This time, his aim was true. He hit the coconut squarely and it toppled from the stand. A little shout from Mystra had Hermione clapping along too. Sebastian picked up the winnings and handed it to Hermione.

"Well done," she said before giving it to his sister. It had been her idea after all. The girl gave her brother a warm smile, would likely have hugged him if they'd been somewhere more private. Hermione could only grin at them both. Sebastian offered her his arm and she could only take it. He patted her hand and turned away from the game.

"Now, where shall we go next?" he asked. Hermione looked around the field and caught the eye of the rest of Sebastian's family. Severus' face was a mask, no expression on it at all; however the on Fleur's was triumphant. A flicker of an idea shot through her mind and she turned away, wondering where this sudden interest on the part of Sebastian had come from. For the moment however, she was content in his company; he was a nice enough lad after all!


	13. Chapter 13

The rest of Hermione's afternoon was spent in the rather engaging company of Sebastian Snape. HE was a nice enough lad with interests similar to hers and a winsome personality too. If her heart had not already been won by the older brother, she would have encouraged a more formal attachment to him. As it was however, she listened and spoke but made no attempt to lead him on or suggest that this might go any further. Hermione could see the growing frustration in the lad, giving away his inexperience and immaturity in these matters. The subject arose when she turned down another meeting with the boy in the near future. The annoyance was clear on his face and she let out a sigh of exasperation.

"What on earth is the matter?" she quipped, getting tired of the sulking.

"I was lead to believe you had an existing attachment to me," he said, folding his arms over his chest, "Was I wrong?" he asked.

Hermione gave him a sad smile and shook her head, "I am afraid you have been misled," she said placing a hand on his arm and giving it a pat. "I have very much enjoyed spending the afternoon with you, your company has been perfect, but as for a romantic attachment," she finished the sentence by shaking her head. "Who was it that encouraged this?" she asked.

The lad had flushed a rather vivid red at her words, though he did not appear to be angry with her. He didn't say anything but his eyes glanced towards his future sister-in-law. Hermione was less than surprised at this and she shook her head. "I should have known."

"I didn't say anything!" he said.

"You didn't need to," she replied. Hermione didn't elaborate on that, he didn't need to know the details of the tension between her and Fleur. "I don't see why we cannot be friends however, your company has been pleasant and we have a bit in common," she suggested. She didn't want the lad to feel too disappointed with their 'date' and they had got along fine. He appeared to think that through for a moment, "Besides, it'll keep her off my back. I don't know what I have done to earn such suspicion from her, it seems so unfair," she added. That seemed to do the trick and the lad relented.

"I don't see the harm in it," he said eventually. Hermione extended her hand for him to shake, which he did and gave her a small smile. She returned it, trying hard not to feel awkward; she had just brushed him off after all. Still, something had been salvaged, they'd agreed on friendship and that was no mean feat.

They arrived back at the now empty cake stall and she bade him goodbye, pressing her hand in his in friendship. She could almost feel the disappointment coming from Molly but there was no way she was going to sell herself short just to meet the other woman's approval, it was her life after all and her choice! She watched Sebastian walk away before turning to her other friends with a small sigh.

"What was wrong with that one?" Molly asked the moment he was out of earshot. Hermione shook her head.

"Not now, please," she said. It had been a strain, spending the time with the younger Snape when she wanted to be with the older one. Hearing Molly's complaints about it now was a bit too much to bear. The older woman huffed and placed her hand on her hips but said nothing. Lavender was there to assist however, seeing the look on Hermione's face.

"We'll get the plates gathered up," she said giving Hermione a nod. She turned and began doing as she had said before there was a chance of protestation. Hermione, only to eager, turned to give her a hand.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"What was all that about?" she asked as she stacked up some of the plates.

"Later," she said shaking her head. The last thing Hermione wanted was to confide in her friend only for Molly to overhear. Lavender seemed to get the hint and they cleaned the plates away talking about other things. Mostly about her upcoming wedding; the flush on her face was difficult to hide when she spoke of Ron and there was no doubt in Hermione's mind that she was utterly smitten with the red-headed boy. The day was still six weeks away; however there was a lot to be done. Hearing about her friend's happiness took her mind off her own dilemma and by the time they were done and ready to travel home again, Hermione felt a lot clearer.

The trip home was made shortly after and instead of fleeing up to her room, Hermione and Lavender remained in the sitting room, speaking further about the wedding. About half an hour later, Molly joined them. Hermione swore that if she began questioning her about Sebastian, she would leave, however she left the subject alone. The talk of her youngest son's marriage was a subject she was already heavily invested in and so she fell into the conversation. By the time Hermione headed to bed, she was exhausted and felt far more relaxed than they had earlier on.

Her good mood lasted through breakfast, especially when she realised that she was due to visit her friend that day. It lasted all the way up to the large front door of his home. Sebastian and Mystra were nowhere to be seen, something for which she was grateful. Settling in the same seat as she had before, she waited for a while for her friend to appear. After she had waited for what felt like half an hour, she began to grow concerned. She rose and began to look at the books on the shelf once more, looking for one that might interest her. It was as she was about to pull one from the shelf that her friend bothered to appear.

"I apologise for my tardiness," he said, his tone dry. Hermione jumped and looked around, a smile suddenly fixed onto her face.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. She had no idea what had been the matter but needed to ask. He nodded curtly and she returned to her seat. Pressing her lips together, she looked at her friend; his face was fixed into a mask of impassiveness, one that brought to mind the persona he wore in the classroom, rather than the one she had met in the café, or here previously. She frowned, wondering what it was that was on his mind.

"What did you want to know about today?" she asked, hoping the change of subject would lighten the mood a little.

Severus did not sit; he remained standing by the fireplace, his back to Hermione. She knew his arms would be folded and the line between his brows that appeared when he was anxious would be there. He remained silent. Hermione shifted in her seat, the sound of her dress rustling sounded far louder than it would have been normally. The silence stretched between them and she let out a sigh. If they were just going to sit there silently, she may as well leave. Just as she was about to rise, he turned and spoke.

"What was that about yesterday?" he asked.

Hermione frowned, "What?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

She shook her head, "No, I don't."

"With my younger brother."

Her eyebrows rose and her eyes widened, "We went for a walk around the fair with your sister, then we went by ourselves," she said. She tried her best to keep her tone even, though she was a little taken aback by the abruptness of his tone.

"Why?" he asked. The frown she had been holding back bloomed on her face then and she folded her arms.

"Does it matter?" she asked, her tone darker.

"As he is my brother, yes, it does."

"Maybe you should ask your fiancé about it," she quipped.

"Leave her out of this."

Hermione got to her feet then, "I don't have to sit here and listen to this. I came here as a friend, it seems as though you wish to end that," she said. "You have no bearing on whom I see and what I do. May I politely remind you that you are engaged to someone and should see to it that she no longer fills other, more susceptible, members of your family with idiotic notions that I have attachments to them!" she said. She tried her best to keep her tone even, but knew that her pitch rose as she continued to speak.

"You feel nothing for Sebastian?" Severus asked, finally turning to catch her eyes.

"No. If you go and ask him about it, you'll also learn that I shook his hand in friendship and told him he had been misinformed." She said curtly. "Not that it is any of your business. Who I see is up to me, unless you hold some form of affection for me and are willing to abandon your current relation," she added. It felt a little low saying such things but he had annoyed her with what appeared to be nothing but petty jealousy. An emotion he had no right to feel as there could never be anything between them. His silence was more telling than any words and she got up.

She did not expect him to stop her from leaving, however, she did not expect the huge bang that came from above her head, not the curse that uttered from his lips. Her gaze turned to the ceiling and then his, "What was that?" she asked.

"None of your concern," he snapped.

The frown deepened and she shook her head, ignoring his waspishness. "It sounds as though someone could be hurt," she protested. He opened his mouth to speak but before he had the chance to say anything, she had left the room in search of the noise. She knew it was rude to storm around his house but he hadn't been entirely polite in the first place. She climbed the stairs before he had a chance to follow her, when the bang sounded again. It was coming from the third floor and before she could stop herself, she was up on the same floor. She opened a couple of the doors, revealing only bedrooms.

What she found behind the third door however, answered so many questions and raised so many more. Unable to really understand what she was seeing, she felt her knees buckle and her vision fade. The last thing she was aware of was a pair of strong arms guiding her to the floor.


	14. Chapter 14

When Hermione came back to herself, she was on the floor in the corridor outside the room she had burst into. Severus was leaning over her, his expression stern, yet not one of anger. Not too bad, she had been expecting him to shout at her as he had once in his classroom. She turned her dark eyes to his and made a little noise that she hardly recognised. The black eyes of her companion softened a mere fraction but it was something none the less.

Slowly, she sat up and ran a hand over her face, clearing the last of the lingering haze that fogged her head, "Now you know my awful secret," Severus said. The tone of his voice sent a pang through her and she laid a hand on his forearm.

"Who is she?" she asked.

"You don't remember anything from before?" he asked, countering her question. Hermione shook her head, whoever she had been before the incident with the time turner was long gone. "This is not a conversation to be had in the middle of a corridor, can you stand?"

Hermione pushed herself up onto her feet, still feeling a little unsteady. It passed after a moment however and she was silently led back to the room she had dashed from a few minutes previously. When she was once more situated on the comfortable chair near the fire with a cup of tea in her hand, Severus continued.

"The woman you saw upstairs, chained to the bed, is my wife," he stated. Hermione knew her eyes were widening at learning this. Why on earth would he want to keep the woman chained up? She opened her mouth to ask just that but the look on Severus' face stopped her. She snapped her mouth shut, needing an explanation. The man ran a hand over his face and let out a deep sigh. Hermione took the pause to think about what she had briefly seen while she was in the room. The woman had been chained to the bed, a look of complete anguish on her face. Her olive skin had been slick with sweat and there had been scuff marks on her wrists. Multiple bruises had been visible on her forehead and her dark hair had been a complete state.

"She has lost her mind," he muttered softly.

"Severus…" Hermione said, her words trailing off as she really was at a loss at what to say. The idea that he was willing to keep her a secret, hidden in the loft, when she needed help was appalling.

"Let me explain," he said. Hermione nodded eager to hear his justification for such behaviour.

"We met during my travels to Africa," he said before running a hand over his face. Hermione sipped her tea, listening intently. "She was a missionary with her father, trying to seek out witches and wizards located in the darker parts of the world. I was there trying to find some more obscure potion ingredients. Illithya and I, the courtship was swift and we were married within two months," he said. Hermione placed her now empty cup on the side before turning her eyes back to him.

"Go on," she prompted.

"I decided that we should accompany her father, an aging wizard, up river to the deeper parts of the jungle. I wanted to find the components and I knew she did now want her father to go on alone. Looking back, I should have persuaded both from the folly of that journey. Within a month, he was dead. The loss hit my wife hard; however the descent into madness did not begin until we reached her home of in Italy. Melancholy took over as we journeyed and she kept from me the knowledge of her affliction. She had been bitten by something. I don't know what and the symptoms only began to show when we reached her home. By then, there was nothing that could be done.

"I brought her here under cover of night and kept her upstairs. By the time we reached here, her mind was not her own. The doctor informs me that she has but mere weeks, if that, before she succumbs to her sickness. She is chained down as she is wont to harm herself by bashing her head against the walls." He finally sank into the chair opposite her and rested his hands on his knees. Hermione let out a sigh.

"Why do you keep her a secret?" she asked, unable to really wrap her mind around that.

"Reputation alone," he said, "The thin veneer of respectability would soon disappear should everyone know I married a mad woman. The scandal would be dire and the tongues would be wagging for years to come!" he said. She tried to understand what mentality would lead to such but recalled that this time was not her time and he was very much a product of it.

"But Fleur-"

"Was a dire mistake that I deeply regret making, yet I seem unable to disentangle myself from her," Severus said.

Hermione nodded, needing a moment to think about what she had learned. The carriage clock on the mantle struck three and she sighed. She should have left by now, however this was far more important than anything. Molly could yell at her all she liked, it made no real odds anyway. "I learned this before didn't I?" she asked, her eyes narrowing a fraction. He nodded. "This is why we fell out, we were… were we anything more than friends?" she asked, not clear on that aspect of their former companionship.

"There was hope of such," he said, his tone neutral yet she thought she could detect a hint of something else. "On both sides," he added. That made her look up. Not once had he ever alluded to returning her affections. Not openly anyway. It made her chest flutter and her cheeks flush.

"Then I discovered there was no hope for a future together and got angry. I imagine I yelled a lot and stormed out." Hermione knew herself well enough to know how she would have reacted to the discovery.

"You announced your engagement to Krum two days later," he said. She nodded and let out a small sigh.

"A decision made in anger it seems. Where does Fleur come into it?" she asked. The French woman was an irritant beyond belief and Hermione knew that deep down, she would never be able satisfy the complex needs of the man before her.

"As I said, a decision made in haste in an attempt to spark petty jealousy."

"It worked," she snorted. She folded her hands in her lap and took a moment to let that sink in. "The problem now, is how we get out of this situation without causing too much scandal."

"Don't tell me you care for what happens to Fleur," Severus snorted.

The woman had been nothing but cruel to her since she had shown up but despite everything, Hermione nodded her head, "She has been used by you to spark a reaction from me. She had every right to be suspicious and hateful towards me. Her assumption that you retain feelings for me is correct," she said.

"How magnanimous of you," he said dryly.

"I mean it; she has no blame in this!" Hermione retorted. In fact, she now almost felt sorry for the girl. Another glance at the clock told her it was half past three and she sighed. "If I don't go, Mrs Weasley is going to yell so loudly that there will be more than one story to cause gossip!" she said shaking her head.

"So soon?" he asked, standing as she did.

"Yes. I think, I need some time to think about all this," she said. He had the good sense to remain silent and merely nod at that, "I'll write to you."

"You'll not say a word of this?" he asked. Slowly, she nodded.

"Promise," she said. He seemed to relax when she said that and a small sigh escaped his lips. He led her to the door in silence, bidding her farewell as she climbed into the carriage. The moment they were apart, she let out a held breath and sagged against the seat. What she had uncovered far outstripped what she had expected to find and it left her reeling. No wonder they had fallen out over it! Her thoughts turned from the situation between them, to the one his poor wife found herself in. Knowing that the relationship between them could wait, she decided that it would be best if they focused their attention on making sure she was as comfortable as she could be in her final weeks.

That settled, she resolved to write to him stating that as soon as she was able. The carriage ride rattled rapidly through the streets and before long, she was back home. Molly raised her eyebrow at the hour but said nothing. Hermione ventured no further explanation and headed up to her room to write her thoughts down and send them before they fled from her mind.


	15. Chapter 15

**I know this isn't as long as the others but I fear if I want to keep updating at all, they're going to have to be. I am back at work adn very busy currently. Your patience is appreciated as always.**

 **Lu**

Hermione sat in her room going over the things she had learned over the past two hours. As far as she could make out, there were three problems that needed to be solved. One was the fact that Severus was already married to a mentally ill and very sick woman whom he had kept secret from the rest of the wizarding community. This one required the poor woman to be looked after and cherished in her final days, rather than ignored and being left chained to the bed. She had no idea what had possessed a usually caring man to do such a callous and cold thing. Sure, it might have caused a gossip or two to start wagging their tongues but surely it didn't mean all that much to him? He didn't seem to be overly bothered by his reputation when she had known him. Then again, he had been forced to be so careful that he didn't have all that much time to dwell on it. She shook her head.

Then there was the problem of him being engaged to Fleur. Hermione was pretty sure that bigamy was against the law still and that by being engaged to her, Severus was putting himself at great risk. The last thing she wanted to do was see him in a cell for the crime, so admitting to it wasn't an option. She chewed the skin at the side of her nail thoughtfully trying to think of a solution to this issue. The glimmer of an idea fluttered into her mind but she rejected it instantly as being far too outrageous for this time period. The problem was, if Severus merely broke off the engagement, Fleur would always have the tarnish of that relationship following her around. Others would assume that it was because she wasn't good enough, or that there was something wrong with her and thus, she would be doomed to never marry. The role of a fallen woman was not one Hermione wanted for her so doing that wasn't an option. What she needed was someone to make Fleur realise that she didn't love her future husband and so have her call off the relationship. Nor could she envision Severus mistreating her to the point she rejected him. He was cold but he was far from a bastard!

The third problem was how they felt about one another. It was sweet, knowing that his affections mirrored hers and that there was potential for that to go somewhere. For a moment, the other problems fell away and she was lost in a daydream that involved just the two of them. Her cheeks coloured at the thought and although she was alone, she felt a little guilty for indulging herself. Shaking her head, she snapped out of it and returned to the thinking that needed to be done – there would be time for racy day-dreams later on!

A smile spread over her face; perhaps that was the key here – catching Severus in a compromising position might just prove to Fleur that her lover was less than sincere in his actions. Perhaps telling her the truth would drive her away and seek another with her affections. It might be too much to hope for, however it was something that could be considered. Hastily, she picked up a pen and a fresh piece of parchment, eager to set her ideas down and send them to Severus. She could feel the excitement of the idea pulsing through her as she set the pen on the paper. So much so that she didn't hear the door to her room open.

"Hermione?" came the voice of Molly.

Hermione jumped into the air and twisted her head around, "You startled me," she said placing her hand on her chest and the pen on the letter.

"Sorry love," Molly said kindly, "Just checking you're alright, you were very pale when you entered, did Mr Snape say anything to you?" she asked. The woman made her way over from the door and sank onto the bed, her knees creaking as she sat. Hermione shook her head and turned her chair around, keen for her to not see the letter she was writing. If Molly found out what they were planning, she would be in a whole world of trouble!

"It was a nice visit," she said shaking her head, "He has never been nasty to me, nor has he made any move otherwise," Hermione said.

"I know but the argument you had a month or so ago is fresh in my mind, even if it isn't in yours. We're just looking out for you," she said, giving her arm a small pat. Hermione could only nod. She knew Molly meant well but there was something more than a little overbearing about the way she did it. Hermione was more than capable of looking after herself and didn't need smothering in this manner. Of course, she could find herself somewhere to live on her own but she got the impression that such a thing would be looked down on here.

"It's fine," she said again making sure she smiled at the older woman. Molly nodded, seemingly satisfied before getting up and looking over her shoulder.

"What are you writing?" she asked, trying to see what was on the desk.

"I was thinking about writing a story," Hermione lied quickly. "I've just popped down a few ideas so far, nothing more and I doubt it will come to anything," she added. Molly's eyes narrowed a fraction but she just nodded

"Well, so long as it keeps you busy," she said, her tone a little flat. Hermione knew Molly didn't believe a word she had said but she kept her face still anyway. Molly turned to leave. The moment the door was shut, she let out a small sigh and made a mental note to hide these papers when she left the room. The problem was where. Looking around, she got up and began to search the room. It was terribly well maintained and as such, the search for little cubby holes was fruitless. About to give up, she glanced down and spotted what appeared to be a loose board at the back of the room. She bent down and gave it a little nudge. It moved! Not one to give up, she pushed it a little harder and it lifted up. The space below was tiny, not big enough for more than a small purse, but it would do for her papers.

Folding them up, she carefully tucked away the ones with her notes on before resuming writing her letter. That would never be discovered; it was going to be sent the moment it was finished. As soon as her other pages were safely stashed, she resumed writing the letter. It didn't take long to get it finished and the moment it was, it was sent with her owl. Then, she let out a sigh, purged her mind of the uncharitable thoughts she had been having, and headed down to the sitting room. It was about time she spent some hours down there with her friends, the last thing she wanted to do was arouse suspicion from anyone else in the household!

When she entered the sitting room, Lavender and Ron were already there, as well as Harry and Ginny. Her smile widened when she saw her friends and she joined them willingly. It would be good to spend some time with them relieving the stresses of the rest of the day.


	16. Chapter 16

**I know it's been a while between updates adn I am sorry about that, work has kicked me in and I've not felt settled enough to update this story. I hope this one is as good as the last have been. I am currently ill with laryngitis so have a bit of time to catch up.**

 **Thanks for sticking with it,**

 **Lu.**

Hermione didn't hear from Severus for a few days, for which she was both glad and saddened. Their last conversations had been trying and the distance had given her time to think about what was to be done. She had written it all in a letter, as she had promised, and left it at that. She found that she missed his conversation and subtle sense of humour more than anything else, it left her a little forlorn and it wasn't long before Lavender was quietly telling her to cut it out as Molly was picking up on it.

Forced cheer was worse than real melancholy. She did her best however, and there was a function on the horizon to look forward to. Well, there were always functions to look forward to, however this one would involve nearly everyone she knew. She hadn't seen some of the people who were going to be in attendance for a number of days now, weeks for some and she was dearly looking forward to catching up with them. Draco was one of them. She had enjoyed his witty observations at the picnic before and had found that she wanted to converse with him. He had a way of knowing what was going on and hearing things that no other would. What was better was that he seemed willing to share them with her too.

She had decided to wear the pale blue dress that evening, it had been a while and she liked the way it hung on her hips, very flattering she thought. The neckline wasn't too high either and it was comfortable. It would be better if she had left out the steel underwear but all the women wore them and to do so would be deemed as lewd. Molly would not allow for such things! A smile crossed her lips as she was helped down from the carriage, she could see some of her friends already. The moment she was out the carriage, she began walking towards them, keen to greet them.

The first she saw was Bill, speaking to Percy about something. She spoke to both of them and the greeted her warmly. It was nice to be among friends. Percy teased her about still annoying his parents and she shrugged, blaming their mother's inability to not feed whatever waif or stray happened to roll through the door. Niether of them were able to deny these allegations and the conversation resumed. Hermione found herself distracted by other arrivals and so bid the brothers farewell and entered the hall properly.

A large vaulted ceiling greeted her, decorated with soft floating lights which resembled stars. The yellow light filled the room, showing her a large dancefloor with several seats around the outside. There was space for a band; however they'd not yet turned up. There was a table to one side of the room which contained many plates of food; some people were already helping themselves to a couple of bites here and there. She didn't blame them as the thought of food set her stomach growling too. The only thing that was stopping her from going over there and getting some herself was the way being blocked by Draco.

Her smile widened when their eyes met and she was by his side in seconds, "Good evening," she said warmly. Draco's first reaction was to smirk at her; he then picked up her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it in some mockery of formal greeting.

"Evening," he said his tone far more casual than his manners. "What brings you my way?" he asked after he had straightened up.

"I need a reason to say hello to a friend?" she asked, tilting her head a little. He shrugged and laughed a little.

"You've been busy?"

"I have," she replied. A man with a tray of drinks appeared and she took two from it, handing one to him. He took it, the smirk on his face reappearing once more.

"So I have heard," he said. Now it was her turn to look at him with a small grin.

"What have you heard?" she asked before sipping some of the drink in her hand.

"The whole town has heard about your meetings with Severus," he said. This was nothing out of the ordinary.

"He's teaching me about potions," she said with a small shrug, "There's nothing more to it than that," she added.

"We both know that's true," Draco said with a nod, "But the rest of the town are going to think otherwise as it's known you go without another there. What do you think that looks like to an outsider?" he added. Despite knowing that she shouldn't care about such things, Hermione flushed a little.

"I don't care what they think," she said. She then knew she sounded like a pouty child and forced herself to relax. "Besides, it's a harmless friendship; people are probably thinking the same as we're now stood talking."

Draco shrugged at that, "I can buy them off, silence them if I need to," he said. There was no real arrogance in his tone when he spoke, it was the truth after all. "So, there's nothing else to what's going on during your meetings then?" he asked. Hermione levelled her gaze at Draco.

"Are you digging for information?" she said a little flatly.

He shook his blonde head, "No, not at all, just curious." She eyed him again before deciding that he was telling the truth. She still wasn't entirely sure what to tell him, however, he was sly enough to be able to help and so she told him what was really going on. She left out the part regarding his first wife, focusing instead on the Fleur situation. By the time she was done, both of them had emptied their glasses. Draco remained silent after the telling of the tale and appeared to thinking it through. "Quite a predicament you have there," he said before snatching up a couple of fresh glasses and handing one to her.

Taking the glass, she twisted it in her hand and gave a small shrug. "There has to be a way out of it though," she said, her optimism showing through.

"Yes, I believe there is," Draco said, his tone as thoughtful as ever. Hermione looked at him again, a slight frown between her eyebrows.

"Well, are you going to share it with me?" she asked after taking another sip of wine. Draco's eyes flicked to somewhere behind her and she turned her head. A smile grew on her face to mask the ire as Luna approached with Neville at her side. "Later," Draco whispered before nodding at the approaching couple.

"You should try the food Hermione, it really is lovely," Luna said, skipping any greeting. Hermione smiled, glad that at least the airy nature of her friend never changed.

"How are you?" Neville asked.

"Quite well," she replied. Before she knew what was happening, they were both caught up in a conversation about their forth coming wedding and how stressful the planning was. It wasn't really what Hermione wanted to listen to but she could find no way of getting out of that conversation. A glance around the room showed her that a lot more people had arrived and the food was indeed being served properly now. Her stomach rumbled and she cast a look at Draco, begging him to cry off the conversation and follow her to the table. He seemed to take the hint. The kept their conversation to a minimum as they picked some of the better looking nibbles from the table and found themselves somewhere quiet to sit. Hermione was dimly aware that Molly was giving her approving nods at this connection and she resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. Draco was a fantastic guy, and she had no doubt that he would make a great lover, he just wasn't for her.

When they were settled, she picked up one of the more interesting things and popped it into her mouth. Chicken with peanut butter spread over it – delicious! Her mind however, wasn't on the food. She looked at Draco and smiled, "What did you have in mind then?" she asked.

Her friend swallowed the mouthful of food he had, leaned forward and grinned, "Here's what you can do…"


	17. Chapter 17

Hermione didn't really like what she was going to do, she felt as though it went against what she really thought was the right thing but then again, she wanted someone who was engaged to someone else and that was wrong in itself. It hadn't taken half as long as she thought it would to agree to what Draco had in mind and although she found it devious, she knew she would have to be in order to get what she really wanted.

Draco had pressed a small piece of parchment into her hand and smiled, telling her not to read it herself but to go and give it to Percy. What Percy had to do with the matter she had no idea but she wasn't about to question any help from a friend. She'd pressed her lips together and nodded, agreeing. Now, she was stood in front of the older Weasley brother and he was looking at her intently. "What is it Hermione?" he asked. The slight frown in the centre of his brow did nothing to calm her trembling nerves but she knew this had to happen!

She offered the ginger haired man a small smile. She had never been his biggest fan, however he had always tried to be polite to her rather than condescending like he was with nearly everyone else. "I was asked to give you this," she said before sliding the small piece of paper into his hand. "I cannot say any more about it, just… read it and you'll see," she said. A suspicious look crossed his face; she kept hers impassive, the smile fixed in place. When he didn't say anything else, she darted away, more than keen to be away from his mildly questioning expression. The last thing she wanted was to have to answer any of them, she would give herself away.

After fleeing Percy, she sought the refuge of a nearby wall and a large glass of wine. It seemed to calm her now racing heart at least and gave her the opportunity of watching the people who had already taken to the dance floor. Her eyes fell on the enchanting couple that were Draco's parents. Say whatever you will of Lucius and Narcissa, they were still very much in love with one another and it showed in their every movement. Even in the way Lucius looked into her eyes with adoration when they danced. It made her smile if nothing else. Next to them were Ron and Lavender, nowhere near as graceful yet equally enthralled with one another, it was sweet. Luna danced with Neville in her own way too, the strange pawing at the air similar to that which she had done with her father back in her own time.

Hermione sighed and drained the glass in her hand. It was a fine thing watching those that were in love, except it highlighted her growing frustrations at her situation. Perhaps it had been a mistake to come here and see what was going on. She would have been better sat at home reading a book or researching something instead. This was nothing more than a glorified market for marriage. Snorting, she placed her glass on the table and picked up her long skirts, she would order a carriage and get out of the way of this nonsense.

"Going somewhere?" came the drawl of Severus.

She let out a sigh and shrugged, "I was about to go home," she said, "Part of me loves seeing everyone but another cannot abide the idea that this is just a wedding factory," she said. The smile on his face had her relax a little.

"Normally I would agree with you," he said indicating the huddle of youngsters who were talking with one another. One of the boys leaned over a girl as he spoke. Hermione would have found it invasive yet the girl didn't seem to mind. "However, I think I can find it within me to dance tonight, if you've a mind?" he said. Hermione blinked. She had never in her life expected this man to ask her to dance, never. For a moment, she had no idea what to say. "If the idea offends you that much…" he said when she remained silent.

Hermione shook her head, "I'm just surprised," she said, "I had no idea you liked to dance."

"I don't," he replied with a small shake of his head, "But I know you do so wouldn't be averse to doing so on occasion," he explained. That was when her heart melted all over again and she linked her arm through his. In that moment, she had no idea where his fiancé was and nor did she care. He slowly led her to the dance floor and stopped at the edge. Hermione turned to face him and waited for him to take the lead.

There was no hesitation. His hand was resting on the hollow of her waist, the other clasping her hand lightly. She placed her hand on his shoulder and before she knew it, they were gently swooping around the dance floor. Hermione could feel the eyes of everyone they knew on them. It was a rare thing indeed for Severus to dance and even rarer that he should be doing so with someone who was not his fiancé. He was well known for his decent manners and sense of propriety. Hermione didn't really care in that moment. All she wanted was for this song to last forever.

Her eyes were held captive by his coal black ones, the bright shine in them as they looked at her. It was something she hadn't seen for a while. The smile on her face didn't want to leave and she hoped that it didn't make her look manic. She didn't think so. Her heart was pounding however and she had to focus on her feet. The last thing she wanted was to step on his feet and make herself look foolish. She studied his face, the angular lines and the harsh planes seemed to melt away when he looked as he did now. He seemed far more at peace.

While the turned around the floor, she was very aware of how close they were; she could remember being this close to him before but not for a long time. The reminder was sharp. His subtle scent swamped her and she had to keep saying to herself that they were not alone in the room. The heat gently built and she knew her cheeks were flushed as they turned once more. She could perhaps dismiss it to anyone else that it was the wine she had consumed but Severus would know better. He was the one person that she was unable to lie to.

His hand slid up her back, pressing between her shoulders, inching her ever closer to him. She could feel the heat coming from him through the fabric of their clothing and she had to force herself to keep looking at his eyes, not drop them to his mouth. Her lips parted anyway and she leaned her head in a fraction. The sound of the music fell away, all she could hear was the hammer of her heart in her ears. Even that fell away as she utterly failed. Her eyes flicked down to his mouth and the thought of how much she wanted to kiss him then flashed through her before she dragged them back to his black eyes.

"Hermione," he said. The verbalisation of her name brought her sharply back to the present.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," she whispered.

"I'm not going to kiss you here," he said, softly so no other would hear, "It wouldn't be fair on any of us." She nodded, understanding it but unable to contain the bitterness that followed it. "That's not to say I don't want to," he added. Her eyes found his once again, this time, with a gleam of their own in them.

"Soon," she said.

"Soon," he nodded. The song chose that point to end and he dropped his hand from her waist and gave a little bow. She curtseyed and they parted ways. She just hoped that it looked as innocent as it should to the rest of the room. The last thing she needed was a shouting match with Molly in the middle of the dance floor. She had no idea what that woman had against them and she didn't really care to find out. As far as she was concerned, it was her life and her decision, no one else's. She could still feel the press of his hand on the small of her back and it made her smile all over again. Now, when she looked over at the other people dancing, the sting was no longer in her mind. She knew she was being silly, getting her head all lost over something as small as a simple dance but she couldn't help it.

Her thoughts turned to the note she had passed to Percy and she dearly hoped that it would work; that it would get Fleur out of the way so she would be free to court and marry Severus at her leisure. It was with this thought in mind that she headed out of the dancing hall to a carriage. She knew there was no further point being there and that she might as well go home and entertain her thoughts in a more peaceful environment.


	18. Chapter 18

The event that changed everything happened the very next day. Hermione knew nothing of it until her attention was drawn from the book she was reading to the shouts in the hallway. The unmistakable voice of Molly Weasley destroyed the peace with a loud demand of, "What in the name of Merlin do you think you were doing?" Hermione tried to tune out the words, knowing that one of the boys had likely done something stupid involving a broom, however when Percy's voice filtered through the door, she began to pay a bit more attention.

"It was harmless," came the voice of Percy. It seemed as though he was more hurt than anything else.

"That is not what everyone else is saying!" Hermione could picture Molly with her hands on her hips and tapping her toe, "That poor girl has suffered enough, now here you are making everything worse, did you not think about what everyone else would think?" she demanded.

"No," Percy said, sullen now.

"Of course you didn't, there never is any consideration for the girls when it comes to you men!" she snapped.

"Granger does it all the time!" Percy huffed, "Why should Fleur be any different?"

"You know damned well the difference between those two," Molly snapped, "Hermione's reputation is already bad enough that no one really cares what she does, there's no shock to it. Fleur on the other hand is untarnished, and should remain that way." On hearing those words, Hermione flushed. A painful red stinging her cheeks when she realised that the woman whom she thought had been looking out for her saw her as more trouble than anything else. She listened further, wondering what else they might say about her.

"Have you heard yourself mother? Such double standards!" Percy snapped back. Hermione knew of his temper and also knew what was coming next.

"Maybe I have been a bit lenient," Molly said, "Would it make you better if I stopped Hermione's visits?" she asked.

"No!" Percy snapped, "I would rather you let me do as I wished, Fleur and I had a nice cup of tea and a long conversation, nothing more." Hermione knew that the people who were not there would be saying a lot more than that, which had been the point of it all she supposed. Draco had managed to create a situation out of something innocent and if he knew him well enough, he would he adding fuel to that particular fire.

"I suppose I have set a precedence already," Molly said. "I will speak to Hermione about it in a moment. As for you…"

Hermione was no longer listening, she was on her feet and in the hallway moments later, "I will save you the bother," she snapped. Both of them looked around in surprise. "I had no idea that my presence here was such a burden on your house," she said. She tried to keep her tone even when she spoke but knew that she was having a hard time of it. Looking from one to the other, she saw that they had the decency to look guilty about it.

"Hermione, that's not what-"

"Yes it is, I know exactly what you meant Molly," she said cutting the older woman off. "You do not approve of what I do, you never have but I didn't know it made you think less of me," she snorted. "If it's too much for you, perhaps I should leave," she said. She had no idea where she would go if she did, but staying here didn't seem to be an option right then. When neither of them offered an alternative to her views, she turned around and stormed up the stairs.

She had no real idea what she was going to do, however she grabbed a few bits, flung them into a bag and pulled it closed. Grabbing her purse from her desk, she slipped that into her bag too and threw her cloak around her shoulders. Before she knew it, she was out the door, leaving the Weasley's to their words and their opinions.

The cool breeze tugged at her thick cloak and she wondered where she might go. Never before had she felt unwelcome in the house she had been living in. How long Molly had thought that of her, she didn't know, she didn't want to know. Maybe all she needed was some distance and some clarity. She was not at all surprised when she found herself stood in front of Severus' door. Maybe this was the last place she should be but she could think of nowhere else to go. She wondered whether the whole town knew of her visits here and for the first time found that she cared about what they thought. She shook her head, it must be that she was getting used to how this time period thought and was adapting her own thinking to it.

The door opened and a confused Sebastian answered the door, "Miss Granger?" he asked. She did her best to smile at him.

"I had no idea where else to go," she confessed, swallowing the lump in her throat, "Is your brother here?" she asked.

Sebastian nodded and stepped aside to let her through, "He is," he said as she crossed the threshold, "But I don't know what sort of mood he is in," he added.

"Oh?"

"You've heard Fleur was caught in the arms of Percy Weasley no doubt?" he said. Hermione shook her head.

"I knew they'd met for tea," she said, not wanting to lie completely. Sebastian led her into the sitting room, which was empty, and ushered her into one of the seats.

"It seems it was a little more than that, they were seen kissing. Fleur denies this ever happened and they've been arguing all afternoon," Sebastian said. Hermione's eyes widened and she folded her hands into her lap.

"I had no idea…" she said, not entirely sure whether this was gossip or not. If that had been the case, Percy would never have admitted it to his mother! Molly would have screamed the house down.

"Can I get you tea?" the young lad asked. He was nothing if not well mannered. Hermione nodded and he summoned the elf, ordering both tea and some snacks for them both. "There has been a lot of arguing in this house lately," Sebastian said the moment the little creature disappeared.

Hermione frowned, "How so?"" she asked.

Sebastian shook his head, "I shouldn't say, not really." Hermione nodded, understanding the loyalties the young man had for his older brother.

"It's alright," she said. The elf reappeared in that moment, a tray of tea in its hand. It placed it on the table and disappeared again. Silence fell between them when she picked up a cup of tea and took a sip from it. Sebastian followed suit but made no effort to talk further. Time seemed to tick by at a slower pace than ever, making her doubt whether she should have come here. She ran a hand over her face and sighed, trying to keep the thoughts at bay, they were not helpful to anyone and worry was just going to make her feel worse.

The door opened then and the man she had come to see entered the sitting room. He looked at Hermione and blinked in surprise before his usual mask fell back onto his face. "Miss Granger," he said formally. She offered him a smile, wary at his tone. It must have been a tough day if he was being cool with her too. He turned to his brother and nodded, "Leave us please," he said.

Sebastian offered her a small smile before he took his cup of tea and left the room. The silence that followed it was thicker than before. The ticking of the carriage clock on the mantelpiece drove her to distraction and she fussed with a loose thread on her blue dress. She did not break the silence. "Why did you come here today?" he asked finally. His tone was softer than she had expected and she finally looked up.

"I couldn't stand being in that house any longer," she snorted, "It seems I am too much of a harlot for Molly to stand," Hermione said. Severus' eyes narrowed a little at hearing this and he shook his head.

"You heard this?" he asked.

Hermione let out a sigh and shook her head, "She was having a conversation with Percy about unchaperoned visits," she said. At the name of Percy, his face darkened a little but he continued listening carefully. "He compared Fleur's behaviour to mine, to which Molly insulted me. I overheard and stormed out," she said. She realised then that this was very similar to what she had done to him previously and she flushed.

Severus shook his head and he took her hand in his lightly. She looked up into his black eyes then and tried to smile, "I've not been overly sensible about it have I?" she asked sheepishly.

"Not really, but that doesn't give Molly the right to run her mouth either," he said. Hermione smiled. He let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, "It's been a trying day."

"Sorry, I should have been more thoughtful," she said. "I should have known your house would have been in as much of an uproar as mine," she added.

"They're going to be much angrier when they find you've come here," he said, looking at her once more. She nodded. "You should go back," he said after a moment. "Let no one know you came here and make it up with Molly."

"Really?" she frowned.

"Yes. I can deal with Fleur, get the engagement annulled and then I will come and call for you," he said. Her thoughts followed his and she smiled then. If she was going to reside in a house that did not want her there, she could abide it knowing there was a time limit to it. She nodded.

"Alright," she said softly. She knew she had over reacted and slowly got to her feet. It meant that she had to drop his hand and she did so reluctantly. "When will I see you again?" she asked, unafraid to show her feelings while they were alone.

"Very soon," he said. The smile he gave her then was one of his special ones and she loved the way it lit up his face. "Do you want a carriage?" he asked.

"No, I'll make out that I wondered around for a while thinking before I go back." Severus nodded and got to his feet too. HE showed her to the door and she left the place feeling full of confidence once more.


	19. Chapter 19

The moment Hermione stepped back into the Weasley Household, she knew something was horribly wrong. For a start, the house was silent and that never happened during the day. She crossed the threshold and wondered into the sitting room, which was as deserted and silent as the rest of the house. There was absolutely no sign of life there, the room was even chilly, which told her it hadn't been used recently at all. The fire was unlit in the grate too. Very odd. She hoped that nothing had happened to them.

Leaving the sitting room, she headed to the kitchen. She knew this was Molly's favourite room in the house and there was bound to be someone in there. Opening the door, she found it as empty as the other rooms in the house. Hermione wrung her hands together, wondering where they could have gone. A search of the rest of the lower floor found that there were no signs of life anywhere. She shivered. This was getting very odd. Yes, she had stormed out in a temper but this was unrelated surely, she didn't think so highly of herself that a quick flash of anger would have the entire house up and leave! This was highly odd.

She decided to head to her room and see if there was anything in there that might help her work out where the household might have gone. She doubted it. The upper floor was as silent as the lower. Instead of heading to her room straight away, she poked her head around Lavender's door to see if she was in. Her room was as deserted as the rest. After discovering that she truly was alone, she headed to her room to think about it. The reason for their absence was evident the minute she opened the door.

Her stomach dropped a few inches and she felt as though she had been punched. The little panel where she had hidden her notes and drafted letters to Severus had been removed and the papers vanished. Her head turned over and she sank onto the bed. Who on earth could have searched the room and discovered them? The hot flush that reached her cheeks spread through her and she ran a hand over her face. Surely this wasn't the reason why they'd all left? A few letters that told of her feelings and the plans her and Severus had been making. When she thought about what had happened between Percy and Fleur, it made her look hateful.

Maybe they had gone to confront Severus about the whole thing? She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to clear her thoughts on what had happened. The speculation was utterly pointless, she would have to wait until they got back to know what was going on. Rising, she picked up one of her favourite books and headed back downstairs. She didn't feel a whole lot calmer, she felt as though her insides were trembling like a leaf but she could hardly stop that now.

She made a cup of tea and headed for the sitting room once again. Settling into the usual chair beside the fire, she lit it and opened the pages of her book. Reading was not what she wanted to do but it would help take her mind from what was going on. The words on the page flowed into her mind however, taking her away from the troubles of the day and into another world. Her heart began beating at a regular pattern again and her head cleared.

It was completely dark when the door opened.

Hermione jumped and her head jerked up. She wasn't too sure when the sun had fallen and night had happened, only that it was very late. Folding her book shut, she listened, wondering who it was. A deep sigh sounded and the footsteps of many people entering the house followed, "She should be here, this I where I had her returned to earlier this evening." When she heard the drawl of her favourite person, she relaxed completely.

"Hermione!" shouted Molly.

"In here," she replied.

The ginger woman appeared at the door and huffed, "Why are you sitting in the dark?" she asked before waving her wand to light the candles.

"The fire was enough to read by," she replied with a small shrug. "Where have you been?" she asked, wanting to get the next part over with as quickly as she could. Molly and Severus entered the room properly, followed by Bill and Percy. She looked at them all in turn and frowned.

"We found your letters," Molly said.

"I know." Severus moved to sit beside her, the others in their places around the room, "You didn't bother to put the piece of wood back and I discovered it when the house was deserted upon my return." She pressed her lips together then, knowing what Molly's reaction would have been.

"I was upset by what I read Hermione," Molly admitted. Hermione nodded, understanding why she would be so. "I had no idea what to do, so I ordered everyone out. We then took the carriage to Mr Snape's, to see if he knew about the letters."

"I imagine you were rather surprised," Hermione said. Molly nodded.

"I was," she said. "Why didn't you talk to us Hermione?" she asked. Hermione gave the other woman a stubborn look and shook her head.

"I know you always have the best intensions in mind, but if I had come to you with something like this you'd have either laughed it off as foolish or gotten angry," Hermione explained, "Think about what you said earlier in the hallway," she added. Molly pressed her lips together and appeared as though she was about to protest but Percy put his hand up.

"She's right mother," he said.

"So what happens now?" Hermione asked.

"The engagement between myself and Miss De La Cour has been broken off," Severus said. Hermione nodded, not entirely surprised to hear that. She smiled.

"We'll give you two a minute," Molly said. Hermione was pleased about that, glad that she would have to opportunity to speak with Severus alone, even if only for a few minutes. When they'd left the room, she looked at the black eyed man, knowing her adoration was showing in her face.

"I'm not going to court you straight away, I want to ensure that a proper time has passed until I do so," he said. Hermione could understand that well enough and so she nodded. Placing her hand in his, she gave his fingers a little squeeze.

"You can't remarry yet anyway," she said. He blinked and nodded slowly, "How is she?" Hermione asked. She wanted nothing more than to kiss this man in front of her; his gently arching lips had never been more fascinating than they were in that moment however she knew that if they wanted to do this properly, they would have to wait. She longed to push her hands through that silky black hair of his and tousle it, wondering what it would look like fanned out on her pillow had her almost distracted.

"She is fading," he said softly. She squeezed his hand again and tried her best to smile.

"Do you need help with her?" she asked. He blinked then and a thoughtful look crossed his face.

"It would be good if she had someone I can trust around her for her final days," he said. "Would you be willing to do that?" he asked. He seemed somewhat taken aback by the idea.

"Of course I would, I'm not completely heartless," she said with a shake of her head. He seemed to be thinking something over for a moment and she leaned back in her chair. Finally, he leaned over and did something she did not expect. His scent swamped her as his lips brushed her cheek. Colour flooded through her face and her eyes widened. "Severus?" she questioned.

His hand brushed her cheek gently and he finally smiled. "I'll sort it in a moment," he said. He leaned in then to give her a proper kiss. His lips were soft and warm on hers and her eyes slowly closed as she savoured the longed for contact. Light breath touched her cheek and she smiled as the kiss lasted far longer than was strictly chaste. It spoke of a promise to come. She was still smiling when he broke away. She was a little surprised to see that his smile matched hers and she flushed.

"Give me a moment," he said before standing and heading off to speak with Molly. It left her with her thoughts, which were centred around him. She realised than that he truly did match her feelings and knowing this was a wonderful thing. When they both returned, she was smiling brigher than she had done in a long time.

"You're going to stay with Severus," Molly said, "He's told me everything and although I cannot say that I approve, I will not stand in the way of such a kind act," she said. Hermione was a little surprised to hear that, however she nodded. Rising, she moved to embrace the woman who had looked after her since she had arrived a short month ago.

"Thank you," she said. Molly returned the embrace and patted her back.

"Go and get your things," she whispered, "We'll have the rest sent over very soon."

Hermione did not need to be told twice. She was up the stairs and fetching her little bag as quickly as she could. When she returned, Severus was waiting for her with his arm outstretched for her to take. This was the first step towards her new life with the man she had adored since she was a fourteen year old girl in his potions room. It might be in a different when, but that didn't make it any different.

 **Thank you for sticking with this story. It's a bit different (less lemony) than some of my others but I hope you have enjoyed it none the less. I might write a short epilogue for this, depending on how I feel and if there is a demand for it.**

 **Thanks again**

 **Lu**


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